Challenges in Achieving 1.5-Degree Lifestyle Mitigation Options—Insights from a Citizen-Participatory Household Experiment in Japan

Abstract

Recent studies have highlighted the significant role of lifestyle changes in achieving climate change targets. However, implementing substantial changes in people’s lifestyles is challenging due to the varying availability of goods and services and the influence of the surrounding environment. To address this challenge and promote low-carbon and decarbonised lifestyles on a societal scale, a two-week household experiment was conducted in four representative Japanese cities (Kyoto, Yokohama, Kitakyushu, and Kagoshima). The experiment was based on 65 carbon reduction/mitigation options proposed in previous studies. A total of 84 participants participated in the household experiments: 29 in Kyoto, 22 in Yokohama, 12 in Kitakyushu, and 21 in Kagoshima. Due to constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, implementation was monitored through a ‘household experiment diary’. The household experiments examined the status of implementation of each option and assessed the potential for improvement over a short period. Furthermore, the study identified barriers, enabling contexts and proposed support measures for implementing household mitigation actions. This study also provided policy implications for co-creating decarbonised lifestyles.