Identifying Barriers and Catalysts to Fostering Pro-Environmental Behavior: Opportunities and Challenges for Community Psychology

In this paper, we report on an exploratory study of perceived barriers and catalysts to increasing pro-environmental behavior
among people associated with the environmental movement. Perceived barriers include time, money, low efficacy and hopelessness.
Catalysts focus on changing social norms, especially through education and institutional support. We discuss the tragedy of the commons and free–riding as impediments to change. We use this study as an entryway to hypothesize opportunities and challenges that community psychologists
face in motivating and supporting actions to reduce the impact of global climate change. We provide examples of how community
psychologists can foster these changes. In short, we argue that community psychology is well positioned to take a leading
role in the fight for a carbon neutral future.