The behavioural insights team’s report on energy use is good first step, but there are still concerns about compensating behaviours, experimental design and the quality of evidence

Paul Dolan reviews the new report from the Cabinet Office’s Behavioural Insights team on Behaviour Change and Energy use, and is surprised that it fails to mention the possibility that interventions to change energy use may be offset by behaviour changes elsewhere. He also emphasises the importance of getting the experimental design correct in future studies, and has some concerns about the quality of evidence presented.