Climate change is a systemic issue, shaped by complex relationships between policymakers and powerful industry actors, as well as intricate patterns of production, politics and infrastructure (Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change [IPCC], 2023; Stocker et al., 2014). At the same time, human behaviour can play a meaningful role in shaping demands, which in turn can drive wider production and consumption. These behaviours include (but are not limited to) people’s preferences and choices about means of travel (Gössling & Dolnicar, 2023), energy use (Zhang et al., 2022) or diets (Berti et al., 2025), and they occur in particular sociopolitical contexts, deeply influenced by the living conditions and shaped by what is feasible, accessible, or socially supported (Cialdini & Jacobson, 2021; Constantino et al., 2022). When aligned with policy shifts and structural supports, the individual-level behaviour change can contribute to wider societal change, helping create momentum for more sustainable practices, bringing positive global changes, and contributing to broader mitigation efforts (Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change [IPCC], 2023; Stocker et al., 2014).
Behavioural Change Interventions to Promote Climate Action: An Umbrella Review Protocol (Version 1)
This umbrella review protocol provides a systematic approach to synthesising accumulated knowledge.
This is an open-access article.
Authors
Aswathi Surendran, Vasiliki Christodoulou, Mert Nedim Mercan, Gizem Öztürk, Yasemin Erkal Aksoy, Gordana Ristevska Dimitrovska, Dimitrios Theofanidis, Zsolt Demetrovics, Julius Burkauskas, Chiara Cadeddu, Marija Jevtic, Sílvia Luís, Nidhi Nagabhatla, Sanae Okamoto, Marie-Laure Parmentier, Antonio José Soares, Ivana Tutić Grokša, Biljana Gjoneska and Francisco Sampaio.
Background
Individual, household, and community behaviours influence wider pro-environmental and climate-related outcomes, yet evidence on the outcomes and effectiveness of behaviour change interventions (BCIs) remains fragmented. This umbrella review protocol provides a systematic approach to synthesising accumulated knowledge, identifying general patterns and research gaps in a structured way.
Methods
This protocol outlines an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRMA), following the latest standards for reporting methodological quality, critical appraisal and risk-of-bias assessment. Searches will be conducted across large academic databases in health, behavioural and environmental sciences for records in peer-reviewed journals, published until April 2026. The protocol details a strategy for searching, retrieving, screening, selecting and evaluating records that address BCIs for pro-environmental behaviours among the general population. The selected records will be screened for quality, and the findings will be analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. Data extraction will account for primary studies (covered within reviewed studies), and the synthesis will summarise intervention types, delivery modes, contextual factors, behavioural and mental health outcomes.
Expected Results
This protocol represents an initial, safeguarding step in the umbrella review process. By following a detailed plan and rigorous standards, the umbrella review is expected to offer reliable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers developing evidence-informed strategies for promoting climate action.
Registration
In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines (Shamseer et al., 2015), the following umbrella review protocol was registered via the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) on 22 October, 2025 (registration number: CRD420251119136).
