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Social Influence and Disruptive Low Carbon Innovations

Objective

A low carbon transition requires disruptive innovations to challenge prevailing technologies and practices. Many disruptive low carbon innovations have been adopted, but in small numbers. Examples include car sharing networks, car-free communities, and net zero energy buildings. To mitigate climate change, these and other innovations must diffuse or spread into the mass market. In the absence of strong policy incentives, social communication from adopters to non-adopters is the means by which innovations spread. But we do not understand how the different mechanisms of social influence work for disruptive low carbon innovations, and whether they can be harnessed to accelerate change.

In this project, I aim to address this critical knowledge gap by asking: what role can social influence play in driving the diffusion of disruptive innovations as part of a low carbon transition? This project will open up a new scientific field on disruptive low carbon innovations using rigorous scientific methods applied to a wide range of novel data.

Objective 1. To understand the attributes of disruptive low carbon innovations valued by actual and potential users.
-> By using secondary data, structured elicitation exercises, and a large-scale cross-national survey, I will evaluate innovation attributes and their potential acceptability to mass market adopters.

Objective 2. To assess the strength and mechanisms of social influence in the diffusion of disruptive low carbon innovations.
-> By analysing social network structures, online activity, and the spatial distribution of early adopters, I will quantify the relative strength of social influence in diffusion processes.

Objective 3. To test strategies and actions for using social influence to accelerate a low carbon transition.
-> By modelling social influence effects in global climate mitigation models, I will test the effectiveness of long-term strategies and actionable policies for accelerating low carbon transitions.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

ERC-STG - Starting Grant

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2015-STG

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Host institution

UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 198 136,00
Address
EARLHAM ROAD
NR4 7TJ NORWICH
United Kingdom

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Region
East of England East Anglia Norwich and East Norfolk
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 198 136,00

Beneficiaries (1)

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