Rethinking energy efficiency delivery -what can we learn from sport?

摘要

Should we rethink government approach to energy efficiencydelivery? Have government energy behaviour change programsdelivered the long-term sustainable change of the quantumneeded to address anthropogenic climate change? Is it time tolook at other models and approaches used to deliver large behaviourchange action? The physical and human infrastructurethat facilitates behaviour change through community-basedsport and recreation programs is the result of decades of deliberativegovernment funding, delivering one of the largest behaviourchange programs across major developed economies.In the face of global climate change it has been suggested that tomove to an energy efficient and low carbon economy will needsimilar levels of behaviour change.By examining the delivery of sport related behaviour change ata local community level in Australia and the UK, we can envisiona new approach to delivering the resources and structures neededto transition to an energy efficient economy. The research showsthat involvement in sport at a community level in both countriesis provided through a cohesive and well organised training andsupport structure, developed over many years, which combinesthe expertise of sporting professionals with the local involvementof thousands of community volunteers. This is contrasted to thenature and level of government resources devoted to communitylevel energy efficiency programmes and their support structures,which is patchy, inconsistent and short-term.This paper considers the lessons of sport policy delivery toexamine the human and physical infrastructure required tosustain significant and widespread energy efficiency householdbehaviour change. Drawing on recent research on local energygovernance, the paper highlights the potential roles of all levelsof government in developing and maintaining an infrastructurethat can support and expand community level energy efficiencyprogrammes.