The government should keep environmental policies at the forefront of this year’s Budget day (Prinsjesdag), according to the Environmental Psychology Groningen research group
The speech delivered by the King from the Throne, which details governmental spending and plans for the next year, will be held on the 19th of September. According to the group, the speech should detail a set plan of action towards combatting climate change with “concrete policies that the government wants to take.”
It also said that policies that help citizens combat climate change with ways to encourage environmentally friendly behavior should be set out to ensure that the government, along with its citizens, are all making a contribution towards combatting climate change.
Defeating climate change together
Environmental Psychology Groningen believes that a combined effort is needed to prevent climate issues from escalating.
“Cooperation is needed between citizens, who know what is going on in society, experts, who contribute scientific knowledge and expertise, and policymakers, who can initiate effective climate policies,” the research group stated.
They also believe reforms are needed throughout multiple sectors of the country to ensure a positive effect on climate change. These include using cleaner energy methods, stressing the need for alternative transportation to private cars as well as creating a circular economy of reusing and recycling.
These policies could be enacted through pricing policies, such as taxing polluting behavior, informing the public, and infrastructural changes that ensure cleaner energy and cleaner transportation methods are prioritized.
Environmental Psychology Groningen believes these changes should be done with fairness and equality in mind, with citizens who are unable to afford cleaner living measures, such as insolated heating, given the necessary support they need.
What is Environmental Psychology Groningen?
The Groningen-based research group forms part of the Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences at the University of Groningen. The group prioritizes human responses to environmental issues by investigating how behavior is influenced to take action against climate change.
The group consists of more than 30 researchers and is led by Professor Linda Steg, a recipient of the coveted Stevin Prize in 2020 and a leading author of the 2023 IPCC report detailing warming of 1.5 degrees.
