To fly or not to fly : analysing interpretive repertoires to negotiate air travel among individuals working for an environmental NGO in Sweden

Abstract: With the global temperature rising and the fight to stay below a 2-degree global warming, environmentalists, environmental organizations and climate scientists are arguing that there is a need to reduce global carbon emissions to mitigate climate change. However, advocating for sustainable behaviour does not necessarily lead to performing sustainable behaviour. The purpose of this study is to explore how individuals that work for an environmental organization make sense of and negotiate air travel. This research takes a discourse analysis approach using 10 semi-structured interviews with employees working at an environmental organization in Sweden. Six broader interpretive repertoires to talk about and to negotiate air travel are identified: Flying is a norm, lack of alternatives, experience, type of travel, individual responsibility vs structural problem and technological inventions. The findings enhance our understanding of how environmentally aware individuals, even though sometimes in a contradicting manner, make sense of air travel and the maintenance thereof. These findings can be helpful for policy makers and environmental lobbyists to further understand the attitude-behaviour gap as well as for environmental policies targeting sustainable behaviour, specifically to reduce air travel.