Enabling Sustainable Lifestyles in a Climate Emergency

This Policy Brief authored by the Hot or Cool Institute, UNEP and the Stockholm Environment Institute offers insights on what forces shape our lifestyles, from our values and norms to economic factors and government regulations, underpinned by the physical infrastructure within which we live.

The brief also introduces the policy tool of choice editing. It is critical to kickstart the transition to sustainable lifestyles. By applying the choice-editing framework, policy makers can edit out harmful lifestyle and consumption options and edit in more desirable alternatives while ensuring that everyone has access to life’s necessities.

In addition the brief offers concrete policy strategies for local and national governments in response to the latest IPCC report on mitigation (AR6 WG3). Most of the policies recommended have already been implemented around the world, making this brief an actionable tool for policymakers.