Biography

Michael joined CES in May 2006 as Senior Research Fellow in the ESRC Research Group on Lifestyles, Values and Environment (RESOLVE). Over the five years of RESOLVE he coordinated research on environmental education and community engagement in low carbon social change initiatives. In November 2011 Michael was appointed to a temporary lectureship in CES which currently runs until September 2012. Prior to joining CES Michael worked as a Senior Research Associate in the Centre for Social and Economic Research on the Global Environment (CSERGE) at the University of East Anglia. Michael has presented his work on community engagement in climate change widely at national and international conferences. In 2009 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Michael is lead editor of the recently published volume ‘Low Carbon Communities: Imaginative Approaches to Combating Climate Change Locally’ (published by Edward Elgar Ltd., co-editors: Dr Shane Fudge and Prof. Tim Jackson).

Michael is experienced in the use of stakeholder research techniques including focus groups and in-depth and semi-structured interviews. He holds a BSc in Rural Environment Studies from London University, Wye College (1997) and PhD from the University of East Anglia (2001) on the environmental and waste performance of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs).

Research Interests

Community-based carbon reduction, sustainable energy management, waste minimisation, corporate environmental performance, social entrepreneurship and environmental policy tools.

Research Collaborations

“Understanding Local and Community Governance of Energy” (UNLOC). The work has commenced and is shared with our principle academic collaborator, the Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford [grant duration – 24 months to April 2012, Surrey value - £232,531]

Publications

Peer Reviewed Journal Papers
Fudge, S. and Peters, M. (2011), Behaviour change in the UK climate debate: an assessment of responsibility, agency and political dimensions, Sustainability, 3 (6), 789-808.

Fudge S., Peters M., Mulugetta Y. and Jackson T. (2011), Paradigms, policy and governance: the politics of energy regulation in the UK post-2000, Environmental Policy and Governance, 21 (4), 291-302

Peters, M., Sinclair, P. and Fudge, S. (2011), The potential for community groups to promote sustainable living, International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, under review.

Peters, M, Fudge, S., and Sinclair, P (2010), Mobilising community action towards a low carbon future: opportunities and challenges for local government in the UK. Energy Policy, 38 (12), December 2010, 7596-7603, Special Section: Carbon Reduction at Community Scale.

Peters, M (2010), Reaching a bigger audience, in T. Levitt and K. Moses: Do environmentalists and governments hold back sustainable lifestyles? The Ecologist, published online 4th August 2010

Fudge, S and M. Peters (2009), ‘Motivating Carbon Reduction in the UK: the role of local government as an agent of social change’, Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences, 6 (2), 103-120.

Peters, M. and Turner, R.K. (2004). SME environmental attitudes and participation in local-scale voluntary initiatives: some practical applications. J. Environmental Planning and Management. 47 (3), 449-475.

Practitioner-oriented journal articles

Peters, M, (2011), Creating the right climate, article in New Start 'the magazine for making better places', 6th April.

Peters, M. (2011), Driving low carbon communities, article in the Local Government Chronicle, 10th October.

Fudge, S. and Peters, M. (2011), Broader behavioural focus needed to mitigate climate change, Science for Environment Policy: European Commission DG Environment News Alert Service, edited by SCU, The University of the West of England, Bristol.

Books and book chapters

Peters, M., Fudge, S., and Jackson, T. (Eds) (2010), Low Carbon Communities: imaginative approaches to combating climate change locally. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham

Peters, M., Fudge, S., and Jackson, T. (2010), Introduction, in Peters, M., Fudge, S., and Jackson, T. (Eds) (2010), Low Carbon Communities: imaginative approaches to combating climate change locally. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham

Peters, M. (2010), Community engagement and social organization: introducing concepts, policy and practical applications, in Peters, M., Fudge, S., and Jackson, T. (Eds) (2010), Low Carbon Communities: imaginative approaches to combating climate change locally. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham

Peters, M., Fudge, S. and Sinclair, P. (forthcoming), Low Carbon Community Action: decision-maker and citizen perspectives, for the RESOLVE edited collection, Earthscan/Taylor and Francis.

Peters, M., Sinclair, P. and Fudge, S. (forthcoming), Promoting sustainable lifestyles through community groups and social networks, for the RESOLVE edited collection, Earthscan/Taylor and Francis.

Fudge, S., Peters, M., Wehrmeyer, W. and Christie, I. (Eds.) Environmental sustainability and individual responsibility: encouraging sustainable lifestyles, Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. Cheltenham. Anticipated publication: Spring 2013. 

Powell, J., Turner, K., Peters, M., and Strobl B. (2002), Economics of waste. in Bisson, K and Proops, J.(eds.) Waste in Ecological Economics, Edward Elgar. Cheltenham.

Conference papers and presentations  

Peters, M. (2011), oral presentation at the Sixth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences. Presentation title: “The Promise/Limitations of Community Groups in Promoting Sustainable Consumption and Behaviour at Local Level", 11 - 13 July 2011, The University of New Orleans, USA.

Peters, M. (2011), invited presentation at Community Energy Action: opportunities and barriers research meeting. Presentation title: "Community engagement and local level action to combat climate change", University of Edinburgh, 9 June 2011.

Peters, M. (2011), oral presentation at the RESOLVE Conference 2011: Living Sustainably – values, policies and practices. Presentation title: “Community Engagement in Sustainable Living: Concepts, practice, challenges and opportunities”, 15th June, 2011.

Fudge, S., Peters, M., Hamilton, J. and Parag, Y. (2011), conference paper for Energy and People: futures, complexities and challenges conference. Title: "Risk, governance and community: a ‘reinvention of politics’ or political opportunism?", 20 - 21 September 2011, Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford.

Peters, M. (2011), presentation at Energy and People: futures, complexities and challenges conference. Presentation title: "Risk, governance and community: a ‘reinvention of politics’ or political opportunism?", 20 - 21 September 2011, Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford.

Peters, M. (2011), invited participant at Community Pathways Peer Review Workshop (for the Community Energy Practitioners Forum), 16th February 2011, Brook Lyndhurst, London.

Peters, M. (2010), invited presentation at the Energy Security in a Multi-polar World meeting, ‘Individuals and Communities’, 27th September 2010.

Peters, M. (2010), The role of communities in delivering the low carbon transition, Falmouth Energy Week Conference: The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan: Making it Happen, May 2010

Peters, M. (2009), Community action on climate change: linking local government responses in the UK to concepts of social organisation. 5th World Environmental Education Congress, May 10-14, 2009, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Peters, M (2009), Community engagement and education: key concepts, opportunities and challenges. RESOLVE Conference: Sustainable Lives? The challenges of low-carbon living in a changing economic climate, June 2009

Peters, M (2008), Educational community-based climate change initiatives in the UK: the role of local government and the experience of participants. 10th Conference on Environmental Education in Europe, 15-19 October 2008, Valletta, Malta.

Peters, M. and Fudge. S. (2008), Motivating Individual Carbon Reduction Through Local Government-Led Community Initiatives in the UK. Sustainable Consumption and Production: Framework for action, 10-11 March 2008, Brussels, Belgium. Conference of the Sustainable Consumption Research Exchange (SCORE!) Network

Peters, M. (2008), 'Approaches to encouraging individual and collective action on climate change'. RESOLVE Conference: Community Action on Climate Change, University of Surrey, 11th December 2008, Guildford.

Other Conferences and Meetings

Pioneering a Low Carbon Future, Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, June 2010. Exhibitor.

Shaping the Future of Large Scale Total Retrofit, June 2010, Institute for Sustainability, London. 

Lost Generation Exhibition: Earth Day 2010, April 2010, University of Surrey. Exhibitor.

Working Papers and Reports

Peters, M., Sinclair, P. and Fudge, S. (2011), Promoting sustainable living through community groups and voluntary organisations, RESOLVE Working Paper Series, 08-11, Centre for Environmental Strategy, University of Surrey, Guildford. ISSN: 1755-7259.

Fudge, S., Mulugetta, Y., Peters, M. and Jackson, T. (2011), The Political Economy of the UNFCCC: Negotiating Consensus within the Capitalist World System, RESOLVE Working Paper Series, 02-11, Centre for Environmental Strategy, University of Surrey, Guildford. ISSN: 1755-7259.

Fudge, S. and Peters, M. (2011), The national dialogue on behaviour change in UK climate policy: some observations on responsibility, agency and political dimensions, RESOLVE Working Paper Series, 04-11, Centre for Environmental Strategy, University of Surrey, Guildford. ISSN: 1755-7259.

Peters, M., R. Clift, S. Fudge, P.Sinclair and D. Ogunkunle (2009), An empirical study exploring the views of local residents to the proposed eco-village at Dunsfold Aerodrome, Guildford: Centre for Environmental Strategy, University of Surrey.

Peters, M. and Jackson, T. (2008), Community action: a force for social change? Some conceptual observations. RESOLVE Working Paper Series 01-08. University of Surrey

Peters, M., and  S. Fudge (2008), Motivating Individual Carbon Reduction Through Local Government-Led Community Initiatives in the UK: The Role of Local Government as an Agent of Social Change, Resolve Working Paper Series 04-08, University of Surrey, April 2008.

Powell, J.C., Tinch, R., White, O. and Peters, M. (2006), Successful Approaches to Sustainable Procurement: A report to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Defra, London.

Tinch, R., Peters, M., Monahan, J., Metcalf, P and Diaz-Rainey, I. (2004), Powergen Energy Monitor, Final Report – “What Price Energy Efficiency?”. University of East Anglia & Powergen (E.ON UK Plc), Norwich, London & Coventry.

Tinch, R., Peters, M., Monahan, J., Metcalf, P and Diaz-Rainey, I. (2003), Powergen Energy Monitor, Final Report. E.ON UK Plc, London. See also:
http://www.eonuk.com/Pdfs/policy_regulation/Powergen%20Energy%20Monitor%202004.pdf

Teaching

Lectures and activities for the following CES MSc Programme modules:

ENGM069: Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility

ENGM059: Environmental Economics

ENGM184: Transitions to a Low Carbon Energy Economy

ENGM066: Environmental Auditing and Management Systems

CES Undergraduate Programme, 'Sustainability' lecturing on Energy Systems and Sustainability

Departmental Duties

MSc supervision

Co-Supervisor for Scott Milne, PhD student in CES (RESOLVE) and Department of Economics, ‘Development and testing of lifestyle scenarios’. PhD viva successfully completed Summer 2011

Affiliations

Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA)

Member of the UK Parliamentary and Scientific Committee