Personal climate-friendly habits do not seem to make people less supportive of broader climate action, according to new research from UNSW Sydney and Griffith University.
The study, published July 23, followed nearly 2,800 Australians over four years as part of the National Climate Action Survey. Researchers looked at behaviors such as recycling, using reusable cups and containers, taking public transportation, eating greener diets and cycling to work.
According to ScienceDaily, participants who reported more of those habits were not less likely to back climate policies or other collective action. In fact, people who did more personal environmental actions were generally more politically engaged and more likely to sign petitions, join demonstrations and support climate policy.
Lead author Dr. Omid Ghasemi said the team found no evidence that personal action reduced collective action or policy support because people felt they had already done enough or cared less about climate change. Professor Ben Newell said the results challenge the strongest version of the claim that recycling and similar actions are a distraction from systemic reforms.
The researchers also found that while personal environmental behaviors stayed fairly steady from 2021 to 2024, collective climate action and support for policy dipped slightly during that period. Dr. Ghasemi said rising living costs may have played a role, but the study suggests the decline was not caused by greater engagement in individual climate action.
