This paper uses identity theory and postmodern identity perspectives to analyse why high-income groups often have values, attitudes and intentions to consume sustainably, yet tend to have the highest energy consumption of any group. Two key arguments are presented. The first is that the affluent identity is opposed to the environmentalist identity and is more salient, desirable and likely to result in more social support and self-esteem rewards. Therefore, where both identities are held the affluent identity is likely to be more dominant and invoked in more circumstances. Second, the invocation of the affluent identity is liable to result in high-energy consumption. Despite some evidence of affluent identities being successfully connected by marketing with low-energy 'green' consumption, there is stronger evidence of the affluent identity being consistently embedded symbolically within high-energy consumption choices. Recommendations for marketing and social marketing are made and a matrix to guide sustainable identity strategies is proposed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

This article considers why price-based frameworks may be inherently unsuitable for delivering unprecedented global emissions reductions while retaining the necessary public and political support, and argues that it is time to instead draw on quantitybased mechanisms such as TEQs (Tradable Energy Quotas). TEQs is a climate policy framework combining a hard cap on emissions with the use of market mechanisms to distribute quotas beneath that cap.

She researches the concept of 'purpose-driven organisations'-a practitioner phenomenon focused on creating sustainable wellbeing through business success, and the role of marketing and governance in delivering this agenda. She has published research papers and thought pieces in journals including: Nature Climate Change, The New Scientist, Carbon Management and Sustainable Development. Victoria has over 15 years experience consulting in marketing and sustainability, having previously worked for Accenture with companies including Marks and Spencer, Cancer Research, J Sainsbury. She has been engaged by organisations such as The British Council, British Standards Institute, the ISO and LEAD International and is also active in local economic development. She co-convenes an ISO committee which is developing a proposed international standard in Governance of Organizations, and works with the CMI and CIM on progressing sustainable marketing and purpose. Victoria is a Chartered Marketer and Chartered Manager.

The world is changing more rapidly than ever. Here, Victoria Hurth, Associate Professor in Marketing and Business Sustainability at Plymouth University UK, discusses the extent to which the role of the organization has to change within it.

Earth scientists have a critical role to play in communicating to the public and policy makers what we know about present and future geo-environmental threats and challenges, such as climate change, extreme natural events, resource conflicts and the energy transition. But whilst geoscientists are being encouraged - and, increasingly, trained - to ‘go public’ with our science, it is less clear to what extent our current geo-communications are effectively addressing the long-term planetary concerns that confront society.In this paper we argue that scientists are the interface between the research organisations that produce knowledge and the wider public who could use that knowledge, and, in that regard, are akin to marketers in the business world. Drawing from the dominant paradigms that shape business marketing, we re-consider the prevailing models of science communication and their consequent sense of purpose. We identify three dominant approaches of marketing-led science communication: ‘make-and-sell’; ‘sense-and-respond’; and ‘guide-and-co-create’. We judge the first two to be incompatible with delivering long-term sustainability, in contrast to the emergent guide-and-co-create mode - purpose-driven, interdisciplinary, participatory, and reflexive - which we contend is best placed to tackle long-term geo-environmental concerns through having a clear wellbeing-focused objective whilst co-creating the path to achieving it.We conclude with the contention that adopting a guide-and-co-create approach to science communications will require not only re-thinking communication practice within universities but also radical institutional regime change towards universities becoming purpose-driven organisations.

As the extent of damage to environmental systems from our business-as-usual activity becomes ever more alarming, Universities as core social institutions are under pressure to help society lead the transition to a sustainable future. Their response to the issues, that they themselves have helped reveal, has, however, been widely criticised for being wholly inadequate. Universities can be observed to engage with sustainability issues in ad-hoc ways, with the scale of attention and commitment dependant mainly on the level of pressure exerted by stakeholders that works to overcome aspects of inherent inertia. Sustainability initiatives can therefore be regarded mainly as bolt-ons. This mirrors how other sectors, including businesses, have tended to respond. As the environmental and social crisis mounts and the window for adaptive change to ensure long-term wellbeing for all narrows, the pressure for deeper systemic change builds. It is in this context that transformation to a “purpose-driven organisation” has emerged as a systemic approach to change, enabling an organisation to align deeply and rapidly with society's long-term best interest and hence a sustainable future. Nowhere has this concept been taken forward more obviously than in the business sector. As business leadership towards purpose becomes more apparent, so the lack of action in this area by universities appears starker. In this paper we clarify what it means to be a purpose-driven organisation, why and how it represents a deep holistic response to unsustainability, and what core questions emerging from the business world university leaders can ask themselves to begin the practical journey to transform their institutions into purpose-driven universities.

Intermediaries' perspectives on the public's role in the energy transitions needed to deliver UK climate change policy goals.

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