Latest thinking

"Nudge" your neighbour

Press release

22 Dec 2010

Giving community activists the knowledge and support to "nudge" their neighbours could be a better way of encouraging behaviour change across neighbourhoods, according to a report published by the RSA.

A Big Society approach to low carbon

Comment

27 Oct 2010

New energy saving community trusts could help us meet our carbon targets while strengthening neighbourhoods, argues John Swinney FRSA.

Climate: could pessimism be the new optimism?

Blog

28 May 2010

The RSA is an optimistic Fellowship. The word "encouragement" is in our organisation's name. We hold to the idea of a new enlightenment, with the emphasis on the symbolism of "light" syllable. We instinctively gravitate to the assumption that, when it comes to change, people will more readily move towards a positive idea of the future than a negative one.

The Carbon Footprint of Everything

Video

13 May 2010

Mike Berners-Lee, leading expert in greenhouse gas footprinting

Facing up to Climate Change

Video

12 May 2010

Clive Hamilton, professor of public ethics, Australian National University

Dangerous Rhetoric

Comment

10 May 2010

In Plato’s time they would regularly hold competitions between a skilled rhetorician and an experienced doctor to see who could convince a crowd who was the better doctor. Apparently the rhetorician would always win and if we consider the implications of that for the climate change debate it raises some serious concerns.

How to turn the tide on climate change

Blog

12 Feb 2010

Matthew Taylor

Not many free evenings in this job: Monday I was chairing the event with David Halpern, Tuesday representing the RSA in the battle of the think tanks, Wednesday on a panel for the first LBC/RSA debate broadcast live from the Great Room and last night back in the Great Room for a Green Alliance event about how best to get across the message on climate change. Here I am on Friday evening hacking out only my third post of the week.

Bleedin’ obvious? You tell me

Blog

10 Feb 2010

Matthew Taylor

 We hosted an event here yesterday organised by a Scandinavian charitable foundation which promotes dialogue about major social, economic and environmental issues.  Although flattered to be asked to attend, I was a bit sceptical.

Time for business to take a lead

Blog

22 Dec 2009

Matthew Taylor

My breakfast yesterday was at an event to mark the latest edition of the excellent Times science supplement Eureka. The event featured a fascinating but largely depressing panel discussion about the fallout of the Copenhagen Summit. It got me thinking about climate change through the prism of my old friend cultural theory.