Does individual climate action distract from the big picture? New research has answers

New research suggests that trying to change people’s climate habits won’t hurt support for big picture solutions.

Climate campaigners have long debated whether promoting small, eco-friendly choices, like cycling to work or avoiding plastic straws, might detract from the push for the sweeping policies needed to tackle climate change.

A new cross-cultural study, led by Dr Omid Ghasemi from the UNSW Institute for Climate Risk & Response, suggests that concern may be overblown.  

The researchers found that encouraging individual climate actions—such as recycling or reducing energy use—did not erode public support for government-led interventions.

“For years, climate communicators worried that if we focus too much on personal behaviour, we risk diverting energy and attention away from the systemic changes that really matter,” says Dr Ghasemi.

“There’s also a concern that small, eco-friendly habits allow people to justify more damaging behaviours or believe progress is being made when we urgently need better big picture policy. But our research suggests that this isn’t happening.”