Tools- of Changes

Vulnerability to Natural Disasters Makes People More Open to Sustainable Choices

Messages highlighting recent, local natural disasters can push rightists toward sustainable consumption.

• The researchers found that as vulnerability to natural disasters increases, sustainable consumption intentions significantly increase among rightists in Western Europe, Israel, and the United States. Environmental motives, rather than economic or trend motives drove this effect. This suggests that, for rightists, the expectation of being directly impacted by climate change can override their established attitudes and foster more sustainable behavior with the goal of helping the environment.
• In contrast, the same increase in sustainable consumption intentions is weaker among leftists, who already embrace sustainable behavior.
• This suggests that anticipating the devastating consequences of climate change can challenge and potentially override established ideological stances, promoting more environmentally friendly behaviors among right-wing individuals. On the other hand, leftists, who generally exhibit strong pro-environmental stances by default, show weaker changes, if any, in response to increased vulnerability.

Next, the researchers conducted a quasi-experiment that demonstrated that messages highlighting recent, local natural disasters can be effective in pushing rightists toward sustainable consumption. The impacts were greater when the natural disaster had occurred recently.

The researchers caution that such strategies might not be as effective for leftists or in regions like Central and Eastern Europe.

Published in 2025.