An Introduction of Social Practice Theory in Environmental Policy - The Social Practice of Driving in The Netherlands

Abstract

Traditional behavioural change methods have not been able to reduce traffic-related air pollution in The Netherlands sufficiently. Social Practice Theory offers new perspectives for effective environmental policy (i.e. policy that generates structural social and environmental change). By applying Social Practice Theory to the problem of traffic-related pollution in urban regions in The Netherlands, the dynamics behind the practice that causes pollution becomes clear. This way, factors that contribute to the persistence of the harmful behaviour are exposed while otherwise they could remaine unnoticed and unaddressed. Besides that, practice-based interventions enable more structural social and environmental change. They move from using rational choice as a main driver of human behaviour towards altering the socio-cultural practice of driving as a whole, and consequently change the behaviour of a large group of people (i.e. car drivers in The Netherlands) at the same time.