“Moments of change” and low-carbon behaviors: A multidisciplinary, systematic review

Whitmarsh, Lorraine, Mitev, Kaloyan, Nash, Nicholas, Hoolohan, Claire, Poortinga, Wouter ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6926-8545, Whittle, Colin, Haggar, Paul, Tipping, Christianne, Dudley, Harriet, Turner, Louise, Carr, Daniel, Felder, Linden, Verplanken, Bas and Graham, Hilary 2025. “Moments of change” and low-carbon behaviors: A multidisciplinary, systematic review. WIREs Climate Change 16 (4) , e70014. 10.1002/wcc.70014

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Abstract

Individual behavior change is essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change. Over the past two decades, significant attention has been given to specific instances when people's habits and routines may be more amenable to change. These instances are referred to as “moments of change” (MoCs). The recent and rapid increase in research in this area warrants a systematic review. We draw on evidence from 130 articles, identified through Scopus and Web of Science, examining the effects of biographical (e.g., relocation) and exogenous (e.g., financial crises) life events on climate change mitigation behaviors (e.g., mobility). Most of the research is focused on the Global North (e.g., UK, USA, and Germany), and comparability is limited due to the use of different methodologies. The results regarding low-carbon behavior change during MoCs are mixed. When behavior change does occur, it is often influenced by contextual (e.g., physical infrastructure), demographic, social, and economic factors. The literature tends to focus more on biographical MoCs (particularly relocation) than exogenous MoCs, and on consumption behaviors (particularly mobility), rather than on social or political behaviors (e.g., activism). Few studies explicitly test theories or models; those that do primarily concentrate on the habit discontinuity hypothesis. Future research could focus on investigating more granular details of MoCs (e.g., habits, planning, and timing) and how interventions might be better targeted to leverage MoCs. This review highlights the importance of considering not only how to foster low-carbon behavior change but also when to do so.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Architecture Schools > Psychology
Publisher:	WIREs
Funders:	ESRC, European Research Council
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	17 July 2025
Date of Acceptance:	1 July 2025
Last Modified:	17 Jul 2025 10:23
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/179879

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