We are glad to announce an IAREP-funded workshop on Public Acceptability of Environmental Policies that will take place at Stirling University’s Court Room on Wednesday September 24, 2025.   The workshop will focus on the psychological and behavioural determinants of the public acceptability of economic and behavioural policy measures, mainly in the context of environmental policy making.   Key questions we like to discuss include: Which psychological factors are associated with acceptability of environmental policies? Should public organisations including the government use psychological insights to change the public acceptability of public policies? Can participatory government mechanisms be used to increase the effectiveness and acceptability of (behavioural) policies?   The Workshop is free to attend and coffee and lunch will be provided thanks to funding by IAREP and the Stirling Economics Division.   Registration: To register for in-person participation as an audience member, follow this link: https://stir.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3sddGXeLd7yUKHA The workshop is open to researchers and interested stakeholders at all levels. We at the Stirling Behavioural Science Centre are interested in the workshop topic as it aligns with recent developments in applied behavioural science and behavioural public policy. More and more behavioural scientists suggest that the field needs to go beyond designing and assessing behavioural “nudge-type” interventions. One way to do so is to use psychological and behavioural insights to make existing policies work better.

Preliminary Schedule

09:30 AM – 09:45 AM: Welcome and Introductions 09:45 AM – 10:15 AM: Chad Baum (Aarhus University) on “Economic Preferences and Support for Environmental Policies Across 5 Countries” 10:15 AM – 10:45 AM: Till Stowasser (Stirling University) on “Framing Emissions: Public Health and Environmental Narratives. A Study on Public Acceptability of a Driving Charge”

10:45 AM – 11:45 AM: Networking Coffee Break

11:45 AM – 12:15 PM: Manu Savani (Brunel University) on “Public acceptance of coercive policies: a behavioural public policy approach” 12:15 PM – 12:45 PM: Amy Rodger (University of Edinburgh, BR-UK) on “Negative Anecdotes Undermine Environmental Policy Support: Three Experiments on Communicating Policy (In)effectiveness”

12:45 PM – 1:45 PM: Lunch

1:45 PM – 2:15 PM: Carlos A. Silva-Zambrano (Heriot-Watt University) on “From Resistance to Support: Fund Allocation Preferences and Social Acceptability of Conservation Entry Fees” 2:15 PM – 3:00 PM: Keynote by Prof. Mark Andor (Ruhr University Bochum)

3:00 PM – 3:30 PM: Coffee Break

3:30 PM – 4:00 PM: Cameron Reid (Crown Estate Scotland) on “Salient Opportunity Cost of Inaction through Behavioural Engagement (SOCIBE): A Novel Framework for Public Acceptability of Climate Policies” 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM: Leonhard Lades (Stirling University) on “Predictors of support for environmental policies in Ireland: the role of worry” 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM: Reflections