PhD Promoting circular consumption (1.0 FTE)

The Environmental Psychology group at the University of Groningen offers a PhD position in the project “CircEUlar: Developing circular pathways for an EU low-carbon transition”. The project aims to advance scientific and policy understanding of circular economy measures and strategies in the context of climate change mitigation.

Environmental Psychology at the University of Groningen has a national and international reputation for excellence. Research within the Environmental Psychology group focuses on a wide range of topics, including understanding which factors affect sustainable behaviours (such as energy use, car use, food consumption, and participation in environmental groups); understanding how people and groups cope with environmental and climate risks; understanding the effectiveness of strategies to promote sustainable behaviour; understanding the acceptability environmental policies and changes; and the effects of climate change and sustainable behaviour on wellbeing.

The research aims to contribute to theory development and practice, and is embedded in the research programme Interpersonal Behaviour, as well as in two of the focus areas of the University of Groningen: Energy and Sustainable Society. The Environmental Psychology group collaborates with scholars from different disciplines within and outside the University of Groningen, as well as with governments, NGOs, and various business organisations.

Project
To limit climate change, we need to move from a linear economy to a circular economy. To achieve this, it is key to understand the options for and influences on circular consumption. This PhD project aims to characterize circular consumption behaviors and to understand which cultural, motivational, and structural factors influence the acceptability and adoption of circular consumption behaviors. The PhD project is part of an interdisciplinary European project on circular consumption (CircEUlar). The project involves collaboration with researchers from other disciplines including environmental economy and industrial ecology. Furthermore, we will collaborate with policy makers and practitioners.

You will publish the results of your studies in international scientific journals, which will be part of your PhD thesis, and present your work at international conferences. You will be a member of the Environmental Psychology Group.