Messages from co-partisan elected officials can increase climate mitigation intentions without changing climate beliefs – Nature

Executive Summary

This report details the findings of a study investigating communication strategies to promote climate mitigation behaviors, directly aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The research, based on two large-scale survey experiments (n=9,298 and n=9,903), demonstrates that messages from co-partisan elected officials can significantly increase public intention to adopt technologies crucial for SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). A key finding is that these behavioral intentions can be influenced independently of entrenched beliefs about climate change, offering a pragmatic pathway to accelerate progress on the SDGs despite political polarization. The study confirms that climate-centric messaging, when delivered by a trusted co-partisan source, is effective across the political spectrum and does not trigger a “backfire effect.” These results provide actionable insights for leveraging political leadership as a mechanism for SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) to foster responsible consumption patterns (SDG 12) and build sustainable communities (SDG 11).

Introduction: Aligning Climate Action with Sustainable Development Goals

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to environmental sustainability, requires urgent and widespread behavior change. However, progress is often hindered by partisan polarization surrounding climate change, which stalls the adoption of technologies essential for SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and direct measures for SDG 13 (Climate Action). Traditional approaches that focus on changing underlying beliefs about climate change have proven slow and often ineffective in polarized contexts. This study addresses this challenge by investigating whether co-partisan elite messaging can directly motivate climate-friendly behaviors, thereby advancing key SDGs without the prerequisite of belief change. The primary objective is to identify effective communication frameworks that encourage the adoption of solar panels and electric vehicles—technologies central to building SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and fostering SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

Methodology for Assessing SDG-Aligned Behavioral Intentions

Two preregistered, nationally representative survey experiments were conducted to assess the impact of co-partisan messaging on public intentions to adopt climate-friendly technologies. The methodologies were designed to isolate the effects of different communication strategies on behaviors that directly support the SDGs.

Experimental Design

Respondents in each study were randomly assigned to one of five conditions in a between-subjects design. The experiments focused on two key areas of climate mitigation:

1. Study 1 (n=9,298): Focused on the adoption of solar panels, a core component of SDG 7.
2. Study 2 (n=9,903): Focused on the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), a critical element for achieving sustainable transport under SDG 11.

Based on self-reported partisanship, participants in treatment groups read a fabricated news article where co-partisan officials advocated for the technology. The conditions were:

• Standard Message: A baseline appeal from a co-partisan official to adopt the technology.
• Climate Message: The appeal was explicitly framed as a method to combat climate change, directly invoking the rationale of SDG 13.
• Costly Action Message: The article highlighted that the officials had personally adopted the technology (a “credibility-enhancing display”).
• Combination Message: Included both the climate frame and the costly action cue.
• Control: Received no article.

Outcome Variables and SDG Linkages

The study measured behavioral intentions and beliefs through composite scales derived from multiple survey items. These variables were directly linked to SDG targets:

• Intentions to Install Solar Panels / Participate in Community Solar: Measures progress towards SDG 7 (Target 7.2: Increase global percentage of renewable energy).
• Intentions to Drive an Electric Vehicle / Support for Low-Carbon Transportation: Measures progress towards SDG 11 (Target 11.2: Provide access to sustainable transport systems) and SDG 12 (Target 12.c: Rationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies).
• Belief in Anthropogenic Climate Change: Assesses the underlying belief often considered a prerequisite for supporting SDG 13.

Key Findings and Implications for SDG Implementation

The results indicate that climate mitigation intentions are malleable and can be influenced by targeted communication, offering a significant opportunity to accelerate progress on the SDGs.

Finding 1: Decoupling Behavioral Intentions from Climate Beliefs to Accelerate SDG 13

The study’s most significant finding is that co-partisan elite messages successfully increased intentions to adopt solar panels and electric vehicles among both Republicans and Democrats without measurably changing their underlying beliefs about climate change. This demonstrates that action-oriented goals under SDG 13 (Climate Action) and related targets in SDG 7 and SDG 11 can be pursued effectively even in the face of deep-seated ideological divisions. Interventions can, and perhaps should, focus directly on motivating behavior rather than engaging in the slower process of belief alteration.

Finding 2: Effective Communication Strategies for Promoting SDG 7 and SDG 12

Contrary to concerns about a “backfire effect,” messages explicitly referencing climate change were just as persuasive for Republicans as non-climate messages when delivered by a co-partisan source. This finding is critical for advocates and policymakers working on SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy). It suggests that the climate crisis does not need to be avoided in public discourse. Rather, framing climate action through trusted political leaders can neutralize partisan backlash and effectively promote the adoption of sustainable technologies and lifestyles across the political divide.

Finding 3: Limited Impact of “Credibility-Enhancing Displays” on SDG Advocacy

The study found limited evidence that messages from elites were more persuasive when they highlighted their own personal adoption of the promoted behaviors. While “leading by example” is an intuitive strategy, these findings suggest that for US political elites, the simple co-partisan endorsement is the primary driver of influence. This implies that advocacy efforts under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) should prioritize securing endorsements from a wide range of political leaders, as the endorsement itself is a powerful tool for motivating public action.

Discussion: Strategic Pathways for Achieving Climate-Related SDGs

The study’s findings offer clear, evidence-based pathways for advancing the climate and energy-focused SDGs in politically challenging environments.

Leveraging Political Leadership for the Goals (SDG 17)

The research reaffirms the critical role of political leadership in mobilizing public action. By acting as trusted messengers, co-partisan elites can effectively translate SDG objectives into personally relevant choices for citizens. This underscores the importance of engaging political figures as key partners in SDG implementation, using their influence to build broad-based support for sustainable technologies and policies. This approach directly embodies the collaborative spirit of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by bridging the gap between policy objectives and public behavior.

Bypassing Polarization to Foster Sustainable Communities (SDG 11 & 13)

The ability to motivate pro-environmental behaviors without first needing to win a debate on climate science is a paradigm shift for climate communication. This strategy allows for immediate, practical progress on building SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) through the promotion of clean energy and sustainable transport. By focusing on trusted messengers and actionable behaviors, it is possible to circumvent the political gridlock that impedes progress on SDG 13 (Climate Action) and foster a sense of shared purpose in adopting sustainable solutions.

Conclusion and Recommendations for Policy and Advocacy

This report concludes that strategic communication leveraging co-partisan political leaders is a potent and underutilized tool for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. Climate mitigation intentions can be increased independently of climate beliefs, and climate-centric messaging from trusted sources is effective for both Republican and Democratic audiences. To accelerate progress towards SDG 7, SDG 11, SDG 12, and SDG 13, it is recommended that policymakers, international organizations, and advocacy groups:

1. Develop and deploy communication strategies that feature a diverse range of co-partisan political figures endorsing specific, sustainable behaviors.
2. Focus messaging directly on motivating climate-friendly actions, such as adopting renewable energy and sustainable transport, rather than on changing fundamental beliefs.
3. Confidently use climate-centric framing when the message is delivered by a trusted, in-group source, as the risk of a “backfire effect” appears to be neutralized by the source’s credibility.

By implementing these evidence-based strategies, stakeholders can more effectively harness political influence to drive the widespread behavioral change necessary to achieve a sustainable future.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses climate change mitigation, the adoption of renewable energy technologies, and sustainable transportation, which directly connect to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary focus is on influencing public behavior towards more environmentally friendly choices through targeted communication.

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  This goal is central to the article’s discussion on solar panels. The study explicitly investigates how to boost public intentions to install solar panels, which is a key component of increasing the share of renewable energy (Target 7.2) and promoting clean energy technology.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The research on promoting electric vehicles (EVs) and support for low-carbon transportation directly relates to making cities and human settlements more sustainable. Specifically, it addresses the need for sustainable transport systems (Target 11.2) to reduce the environmental impact of urban areas.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  This is the most prominent SDG in the article. The entire study is framed around the urgent need for “climate action” and “climate mitigation.” It explores psychological and political mechanisms to encourage behaviors like adopting solar panels and EVs, which are crucial for combating climate change and its impacts. The article’s focus on improving communication strategies aligns with the need to enhance education and awareness on climate change mitigation (Target 13.3).

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article examines the role of “co-partisan elected officials” or “elites” in influencing public behavior. This highlights the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships—in this case, between political leaders and the public—to drive collective action towards sustainable development. It analyzes how these specific actors can be leveraged to promote climate-friendly behaviors, which is a form of partnership to achieve the goals (Target 17.17).

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s focus on renewable energy, sustainable transport, and climate change communication, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

   The article’s “Study 1” is entirely dedicated to understanding how to increase homeowners’ intentions to “install solar panels” and the public’s likelihood of “participating in community solar.” Both of these actions directly contribute to increasing the share of renewable energy in the energy mix.

2. Target 11.2: Provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all.

   “Study 2” focuses on boosting intentions to “drive electric vehicles” and increasing “support for low-carbon transportation.” Electric vehicles are a cornerstone of developing sustainable transport systems, as they reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution in urban environments.

3. Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.

   The core of the research is an investigation into effective communication strategies (“messages from co-partisan elected officials”) to motivate “climate-mitigation intentions.” The study tests different message frames, including explicit “climate cues,” to understand how to raise awareness and capacity for individual climate action, which is a direct application of this target.

4. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.

   The article’s premise is that “co-partisan elected officials” can be effective messengers in motivating public action on climate change. This explores a specific public partnership model (political leaders influencing citizens) to achieve sustainability goals, aligning with the aim of promoting effective partnerships to mobilize resources and action.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not refer to the official SDG indicators but uses several specific outcome measures in its survey experiments that function as direct, measurable indicators for the identified targets. These are the dependent variables the study was designed to influence.

• Indicators for Target 7.2 (Renewable Energy):

  The article uses the following metrics to measure progress in the adoption of solar energy:

  • Reported likelihood of installing solar panels: This is a primary outcome variable in Study 1, measuring individual intent to adopt renewable energy technology at the household level.
  • Reported likelihood of participating in community solar: This indicator measures an alternative pathway for renewable energy adoption, particularly for non-homeowners, contributing to the overall share of clean energy.

• Indicators for Target 11.2 (Sustainable Transport):

  Study 2 uses these indicators to measure progress towards sustainable transportation:

  • Reported likelihood of driving an electric vehicle: This directly measures the public’s intention to switch to a more sustainable mode of personal transport.
  • Support for low-carbon transportation: This indicator gauges public backing for broader policies and infrastructure changes that support sustainable transport systems.

• Indicators for Target 13.3 (Climate Awareness and Mitigation):

  The study measures the effectiveness of its communication interventions using these indicators:

  • Climate mitigation intentions: This is the overarching behavioral outcome, measured by the specific intentions to adopt solar panels and EVs. The article states its goal is to “directly boost intentions to adopt climate-friendly behaviors.”
  • Belief in anthropogenic climate change: This is used as a key psychological indicator to test whether behavior change can occur independently of belief change. It serves as a measure of awareness, even though the study finds it to be resistant to change.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: nature.com