Leveraging agency for climate change mitigation

Charlotte A. Kukowski; Kristian S. Nielsen; Swen J. Kühne; Clover Hogan; Sander van der Linden; Lorraine Whitmarsh; Grit Zwingenberger; Felix Creutzig; Kimberly A. Nicholas

doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02644-7

Leveraging agency for climate change mitigation

Charlotte A. Kukowski
, Kristian S. Nielsen
, Swen J. Kühne
, Clover Hogan
, Sander van der Linden
, Lorraine Whitmarsh
, Grit Zwingenberger
, Felix Creutzig
, Kimberly A. Nicholas

University of Cambridge
Copenhagen Business School
Zurich University of Applied Sciences
Force of Nature
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
University of Sussex
Lund University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

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Abstract

Climate debates often frame individual behaviour and systems change as distinct pathways to action. We suggest that social change arises from individuals’ agency within their roles in societal systems, and that this agency should be actively leveraged to achieve meaningful climate change mitigation.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	627-629
Number of pages	3
Journal	Nature Climate Change
Volume	16
Issue number	6
Early online date	27 May 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-026-02644-7
Publication status	Published - 1 Jun 2026

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 13 Climate Action

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10.1038/s41558-026-02644-7

A-Frame_OSF-preprint-finalAccepted author manuscript, 131 KBLicence: CC BY

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-026-02644-7

Cite this

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title = "Leveraging agency for climate change mitigation",

abstract = "Climate debates often frame individual behaviour and systems change as distinct pathways to action. We suggest that social change arises from individuals{\textquoteright} agency within their roles in societal systems, and that this agency should be actively leveraged to achieve meaningful climate change mitigation.",

author = "Kukowski, \{Charlotte A.\} and Nielsen, \{Kristian S.\} and K{\"u}hne, \{Swen J.\} and Clover Hogan and \{van der Linden\}, Sander and Lorraine Whitmarsh and Grit Zwingenberger and Felix Creutzig and Nicholas, \{Kimberly A.\}",

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T1 - Leveraging agency for climate change mitigation

AU - Kukowski, Charlotte A.

AU - Nielsen, Kristian S.

AU - Kühne, Swen J.

AU - Hogan, Clover

AU - van der Linden, Sander

AU - Whitmarsh, Lorraine

AU - Zwingenberger, Grit

AU - Creutzig, Felix

AU - Nicholas, Kimberly A.

PY - 2026/6/1

Y1 - 2026/6/1

N2 - Climate debates often frame individual behaviour and systems change as distinct pathways to action. We suggest that social change arises from individuals’ agency within their roles in societal systems, and that this agency should be actively leveraged to achieve meaningful climate change mitigation.

AB - Climate debates often frame individual behaviour and systems change as distinct pathways to action. We suggest that social change arises from individuals’ agency within their roles in societal systems, and that this agency should be actively leveraged to achieve meaningful climate change mitigation.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105040381032

U2 - 10.1038/s41558-026-02644-7

DO - 10.1038/s41558-026-02644-7

M3 - Comment/debate

SN - 1758-678X

VL - 16

SP - 627

EP - 629

JO - Nature Climate Change

JF - Nature Climate Change

IS - 6

ER -

Leveraging agency for climate change mitigation

Abstract

UN SDGs

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