The county of Viken in Norway is determined to implement the necessary cuts in energy use and CO2 emissions by 2035. The urgent times the world is experiencing added extra pressure to achieve the energy transition and make this CO2 reduction a reality. For this reason, the county chose to work with its citizens through ENCHANT. This Horizon project allowed Viken to focus on making the necessary cuts in energy use by using behavioural science to change habits in society. The result of this work was the creation and implementation of an awareness-raising campaign that ran from January to July 2023. The campaign targeted all the actors involved in energy consumption in Viken County – homeowners, businesses and organisations. A total of 51 municipalities, in collaboration with NGOs, politicians and associations, were involved in the implementation of the campaign.
Municipalities’ role in the campaign
All 51 municipalities in Viken County participated in the campaign. While their level of involvement varied, their main role was to act as communicators and providers of information to residents. Due to a lack of knowledge among households, it was imperative to provide detailed and reliable information to empower citizens to make the necessary investments to reduce their energy consumption. Municipalities, being perceived as a trustworthy source of independent information and advice, took on the role of messengers.
Citizen participation to change behaviour
A total of 889 residents participated in the campaign through ENCHANT. Six groups were formed, with each being used to test a specific communication tool. At the end of the campaign, it was proven that the most effective tool for reducing energy consumption was providing information on how much energy people’s peers had saved. Following this process, savings increased to 11.3kWh per person per week.
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Dettalji
- Data tal-pubblikazzjoni
- 18 December 2023