New research: Community is the most important factor for climate engagement

Climate activism is about more than just emissions targets and politics. New research shows that people often get involved in climate action primarily because they want to be part of a community.

The study, published in *International Social Work* External link., is based on a review of 53 research articles on local climate initiatives around the world.

The results suggest that locally organized solutions play an important role in the climate transition, alongside high-level politics and international agreements. And the motivation for individuals to get involved is a sense of community rather than a direct attempt to influence emissions targets and intergovernmental agreements.

“What we see is that people rarely get involved solely to reduce emissions. It’s just as much about protecting their daily lives, their community, and their identity,” says Nessica Nässén, a doctoral student in social work at the University of Gävle.

Four driving forces behind climate action

The researchers identify four key motives for climate engagement:

• Social motives – the strongest driving force, linked to community, belonging, and preserving one’s living environment.

• Ecological motives – addressing concrete climate problems such as floods, heat waves, and changing ecosystems.

• Economic motives – creating more secure living conditions, for example through local energy production and reduced dependence on volatile energy prices.

• Political motives – to be able to influence decisions affecting one’s own local environment.

The researchers argue that the findings challenge the view of climate action as something driven primarily by politics and technology.

Climate transition from the grassroots

The study includes research from Brazil, India, Nigeria, Germany, and the United Kingdom, among other countries, and shows that community is a recurring driving force for climate engagement no matter where in the world one is located.

“Much climate policy is based on political instruments, international agreements, and technical solutions. But engagement often grows out of people’s own needs and everyday problems. It’s about working from the bottom up, and social community is the common thread running through it all,” says Nessica Nässén.

Examples of such initiatives include local solar farms, urban farming, community-based management of natural resources, or groups advocating for local climate policy.

“If we are to understand the climate transition, we must understand people’s motivations. It’s not just about saving the environment, but about protecting their community and their future,” says Nessica Nässén.