Effective education and communication strategies to promote environmental engagement

Abstract

Communicators of climate science seek ways to better educate and motivate individuals to personally commit to sustainable, energy-saving activities. However, critical psychological and social barriers to conservation make this task challenging. Behavioural scientists are well aware of the difficulties that individuals and groups have in responding effectively to information surrounding climate change and have used these insights to develop a number of techniques to aid in persuading people of the importance of the issue and motivating adaptive behavioural responses. This article consolidates research findings from behavioural economics, decision science, and social psychology to explore key insights and evidence around effective climate change education strategies aimed at enhancing conservation behaviours, including analyses of cognitive bias, social influences, values, and communication strategies. In addition, we note international, academic-private partnerships that have used interventions suggested by behavioural science to dramatic effects. We conclude by addressing implications for policymakers.