Thread by @GreenSolitaire

So, is everyone working in sustainable lifestyles/behaviour change on the edge of your seat for IPCC WGIII AR6 SPM 5A????
Because you should be.

Section '5A' of the #IPCCreport is the bit dealing with 'demand side' reduction. And we're all the demanders (aka 'consumers') along with all the organisations that actually use/consume everything.

Demand reduction hasn't figured in a big way before in #IPCC reports - especially reducing demand for high carbon goods/services/utilities from consumers. But in the new report - we might all have a role to play.

This would be a very big deal and it's going to either a) drive innovative solutions/mechanisms for all of us to radically reduce our impact or b) be a feeding frenzy for advertising execs to greenwash the hell out of us

Because citizens/consumers/people will now have a calculable role in mitigating climate change we need to ensure the former, not the latter. Bluntly put...

If you can't count the carbon, it doesn't count.

You MUST be able to credibly (proving causation and taking into account rebound effects etc) show that your cool project, campaign etc measurably changed behaviour through to calculable carbon.

Again for the #sustainablelifestyles #sustainablebranding folks at the back

Your consumer 'climate' campaign ONLY counts IF you can count the carbon it saved/avoided.

and there are rules about how to do that.

In the days/weeks following the IPCC report - watch the narrative.
Are consumers now to blame for climate?
Are ad execs salivating at big sustainable lifestyles briefs?
Is the truly exciting stuff - about demand-side management intersection with wellbeing/equity being lost?

I WILL be on the edge of my seat for #IPCCReport launch on 4th April.