Personal information
Biography
Chartered research psychologist focussing on solutions-oriented and policy-relevant work to accelerate the successful delivery of Net Zero and related co-benefits. Extensive experience in consumer engagement, behaviour change and policy, with specific interests in energy, technology, diet, ICT and system change for sustainable living. Particular expertise in household consumer engagement with low-carbon end-user technologies and demand response (DR) services. I have a broad social science background and over 15 years experience working on interdisciplinary, multi-partner collaborative projects, and as a post-doctoral researcher and consultant, collaborating with academic and industry partners and Government.
- Bid-writer and Co-Investigator on UKERC Flexible Fund project to develop a climate Co-benefits Tracker to support policy design and engagement (Win-Window: Tracking the co-benefits of a green recovery - https://ukerc.ac.uk/project/win-window/).
- Behaviour Expert/Project Advisor for several BEIS-funded projects related to consumers and Net Zero including: 'Smarter Tariffs-Smarter Comparisons' (2020-2021); 'Net Zero Societal Change Evidence and Analysis' delivered by Energy Systems Catapult (2020-2021) and 'Energy and Climate Change Behavioural Science Framework' with BIT and Energy Systems Catapult (ongoing).
- Expert Advisory Group member for Government Office for Science Foresight Project, ‘A Net Zero Society: Scenarios and Pathways’
- Clean Growth Leadership Network Fellow (www.cgln.earth/fellows)
- Member of the British Psychological Society’s Climate and Environmental Crisis Steering Group.
In 2018-9 Richard was seconded to the Climate Change Committee to author the independent report, 'Behaviour Change, Public Engagement and Net Zero', (Oct 2019) which sets out a range of policy interventions that could encourage participation in climate action and behavioural shifts across surface transport, aviation, heating and diet. This high-impact report received considerable media attention and helped to inform the CCC's report, 'Net Zero – The UK’s contribution to stopping global warming' (May 2019), and demand-side recommendations in their 'Letter: International aviation and shipping and net zero' (Sept 2019) and 'Land use: Policies for a Net Zero UK' (Jan 2020). Recommendations included an Air Miles Levy (supported by 81% of Climate Assembly UK members) and several data-led digital tools for behaviour change and system change for Net Zero. He has since obtained funding to develop some of these tools, including: 'Smarter Tariffs-Smarter Comparisons' (BEIS-funded); 'WinWindow' Co-benefits Tracker (UKERC-funded); and developing an online database of heat pump installation case studies to accelerate the heat pump transition (BEIS/DESNZ-funded).