Climate Change Funding Needs Behavior Change

A case for funding behavior-centered solutions
ABOUT:

Current investments in behavior change are not sufficient given its substantial potential to mitigate climate change. While annual climate funding among major U.S. foundations has increased rapidly in recent years, the vast majority of this investment focuses on both traditional solutions to climate change and conventional approaches like regulation, awareness raising, and economic incentives.

Because of this, funding behavior change offers some of the highest returns on investment in climate change mitigation. Investment opportunities for behavior change include funding specific programs to improve delivery of behavioral interventions, as well as funding development of the broader enabling environment to ensure the emissions reduction potential of behavior change is realized.

This report presents specific, high- impact opportunities in these two broad categories of investment, demonstrating how funding for these types of initiatives and programs is an essential component of a strategic philanthropic climate portfolio.

HIGHLIGHTS

I.

The climate crisis is accelerating despite progress in technology and policy

II.

Behavior change solutions have a much larger potential to reduce emissions than is generally recognized

III.

New insights from behavioral science are transforming approaches to encourage sustainable consumption

IV.

Behavior change programs deliver benefits beyond downstream adoption: additional pathways to amplify impact

V.

Investments in behavior change are not sufficient given its substantial potential to mitigate climate change

VI.

Behavior change is an essential component of a strategic philanthropic climate portfolio

X