Work

When and how behavior change can accelerate system change (and vice versa): mapping reciprocal processes for climate change mitigation

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: System change and individual behavior change are often conceptualized as contrasting, mutually exclusive strategies for climate change mitigation, with system change usually considered more powerful, direct or urgent. We argue that this alleged duality is misguided and that system change and behavior change are fundamentally co-dependent: system change is often effective to the extent that it promotes individual behavior change and, vice versa, individual behavior change contributes to the critical mass that is needed to spur system change. We map four pathways that link behavior change and system change, driven by consumer activism, consumer demands, policies that address people as part of a community and the provision of collective action arrangements. Together, these pathways illustrate that system and behavior change are often interconnected and suggest promising avenues for developing climate mitigation policies that jointly promote system and behavior change.

Source: Behavioural Public Policy

DOI: 10.1017/bpp.2025.10007

Authors: Denise de Ridder, Sander Thomaes

Institution: Utrecht University

Language: English

Topic: Climate Change Policy and Economics

Subfield: Economics and Econometrics

Field: Economics, Econometrics and Finance

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Climate action

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,550