Energising the transition: Sarah Boddington’s research at the ANU Energy Update 2024

We had the chance to speak with Sarah Boddington, a PhD candidate at the Crawford School of Public Policy, who will be a panellist at the upcoming ANU Energy Update 2024, hosted by the ANU Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions (ICEDS). With a background in international development and a focus on the social dimensions of energy and climate transitions, Sarah’s research plays a crucial role in shaping climate policy and promoting lower carbon practices in Australia. In this interview, she shares insights into her work, career motivations, and the challenges of transitioning to a green economy, particularly for regional communities.

Can you tell us a bit about your background and what motivated you to pursue a PhD at the Crawford School?

As a social researcher, I focus on the social dimensions of energy and climate transitions. It’s an interesting time to be studying this because, following the adoption of the Net Zero target in 2022, we are now at a stage in Australia where the debate is moving from whether we should have action on climate change to what that action should look like. Some of the challenges for Australia as we move into this new phase, is that changes are having to be planned and carried out very quickly, and some of these changes impact some communities more than others. At the ANU Energy Update, I’ll be talking about some of the concerns in regional communities about the energy transition, as well as some suggested ways forward.

What led you to focus on the adoption of lower carbon practices and climate action policy?

I started my PhD in 2022 after a 15-year career working in international development, including working in Australia’s aid program at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. I have had a long-standing interest in how societies change and how they respond to change. After working internationally, I wanted to work on social change in Australia. In my international work, I had heard from many people in the Pacific about the need for Australia to cut its carbon emissions, and so that is what I decided to focus on in my PhD. I focused on lower carbon practices because Australians live very high emissions lives, and I wanted to explore the multiple changes needed to shift us to lower emissions ways of doing things. Lower carbon practices require structural change, which requires policy, and this is why I am also interested in climate policy advocacy.

Your research covers a wide range of topics, from unconventional climate advocates to household electrification. Could you give us an overview of how these projects connect and what they aim to achieve?

One of my projects has been to develop a framework for researchers exploring lower carbon practices. There is so much rich and useful work going on in so many disciplines and it can be difficult to navigate! I developed this framework to help researchers work with across the different theories that are relevant to lower carbon practices. It is the paper I wished I had when I started the PhD. There are many who have said the challenges of addressing climate change needs cooperation between researchers working in different disciplines. This framework can also help with that.

Which aspects of your research will you present at the ANU Energy Update 2024, and why are they particularly relevant now?

I’ll be a Panellist at the ANU Energy Update next week on regional transitions and green industry policy, with panellists from government, civil society, and industry. I will highlight the findings from my own research, as well as research being done around ANU and more broadly.

How do you believe events like the ANU Energy Update can help shape public discourse and policy on energy and climate action?

Climate change is such a big complex, multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder challenge, so it is vital to bring together diverse panels, like this one, to explore issues from different perspectives. In particular, climate action is a social challenge as much as technical and policy challenge, so it’s great to have a panel that addresses all of these aspects.

What are you looking forward to most at the ANU Energy Update?

I am very excited at hearing from Amanda Cahill from the Next Economy, an organisation working directly with regional communities on economic resilience, as well as Travis Bover, from the Net Zero Economy Agency, which has the role of catalysing change in emissions-intensive regions of Australia.

How do you envision your research influencing climate policy and the adoption of lower carbon practices after you complete your PhD?

After such a long career working in social change and in government, I have done studies that are set up to have an impact. One of my studies on electrification in the ACT was done in partnership with an organisation working in this space, to ensure its findings could inform their approaches. I am already sharing my research with diverse audiences through presentations and policy briefs, as well as academic papers.

How do you stay motivated and inspired while working at the crossroads of such critical and challenging fields?

I feel motivated and inspired by connecting with others who are working on similar issues. Together with others, I started a Society and Climate Change Seminar Series, supported by ICEDS, that brings people together. I am also part of an Environmental Psychology lab, as well as a group convened by A/Prof Bec Colvin of researchers working on the social aspects of climate change transitions in Australia. I also have a regular writing group, including researchers from the Planetary Health Equity Hothouse at ANU.

Beyond your academic work, what activities or interests do you engage in that influence your research or help you relax?

Outside of my academic work, I do a couple of things that influence my research. I try to do as many lower carbon practices as possible, for example taking the train instead of flying, and that gives me insight into how we really need better infrastructure and policies to help people make these changes. I am also part of meditation group, which helps me to stay grounded and connected. My meditation practice emphasises listening to all points of view and not getting stuck in false binaries about who is right and wrong. This approach helps me to stay curious about why people think and act the way they do. To relax, I love walking in the bush, cooking complicated things and reading books that have nothing to do with the PhD.