An Individual Decision-Making Model for Taking Climate-Friendly Action

Abstract

Experts are concerned about the impending arrival of tipping points in the global climate’s ability to accommodate increasing levels of CO2 and methane in the atmosphere, at least partly due to human activity. The resulting environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity are likely to be devastating to civilized ways of life. This paper presents an individual-level decision-making model that can alleviate some of the cognitive paralysis that results from being faced with such a global-scale existential crisis as but one individual among billions. It achieves this by simplifying and organising the kinds of trade-offs that are required to identify the individual’s most productive course of action from among many alternatives. Choices between whether to engage in forced choice over organisational practices they might control (e.g., a business mission) versus social influencing (e.g., via a social media presence) versus changes in lifestyle are central. It shows that those with control over the behaviour of others will likely bear greater responsibility. Easier decision-making should increase levels of pro-environmental activity.