How environmental psychologists can engage with system-level processes

In response to the urgency and scale of climate change, mitigation and adaptation require transforming existing systems. We contend that despite its focus on the individual, environmental psychology must strive for systemic and structural solutions to address the climate crisis. We ideate how environmental psychologists can engage with system-level processes. First, environmental psychologists can serve descriptive functions. They can investigate how individual actions (and inactions) are embedded in broader societal forces. And contribute to work in neighbouring disciplines by studying perceptions of transformative system-level agendas. Next, we underscore environmental psychologists’ role in investigating ways to achieve environmentally impactful transformations. Third, psychologists can facilitate public participation in systemic processes by focusing on relevant outcome measures (such as policy support and sufficiency) and adopting deliberative research methods. Finally, deconstructing differences in feasibility and access across contexts, they can further empower collective endeavours to demand social and climate justice. Given the complexity of the global climate crisis, environmental psychology must expand its focus beyond the individual to the system in order to create meaningful impact. reviewed acceptedVersion