ISSBD Mission Statement on Climate Action

Given that unchecked climate change would have catastrophic consequences for human development and wellbeing worldwide, ISSBD supports the advancement and application of developmental/behavioural science to mitigate risks and promote human resilience in a world shaped by a changing climate.  

ISSBD seeks to leverage developmental/behavioural science to understand, mitigate, and address the impacts of climate change across the life span. To do so, it aims to advance research, education, and advocacy at the intersection of human development and climate change. Recognizing that human behavior plays a crucial role in both contributing to and solving the climate crisis, ISSBD seeks to bring together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to foster evidence-based, interdisciplinary action. 

With members in over 70 countries, ISSBD is well-placed to contribute contextualized knowledge about local impacts, implement developmentally and culturally appropriate programs to support local populations, and advocate for stronger climate action at local, regional, and national levels.

ISSBD seeks to:

• Foster interdisciplinary collaboration by integrating perspectives from fields including psychology, sociology, neuroscience, education, public health, law, and environmental science to develop comprehensive solutions to the challenges posed by climate change for human development. 
• Advance research on climate-related behavior across developmental stages, exploring how cognitive, emotional, and social factors shape environmental attitudes and actions from childhood to old age.
• Promote resilience and adaptation by studying how individuals, families, and communities respond to climate stressors and developing strategies to support evidence-informed actions at multiple system levels.
• Apply insights from behavioral science—including decision-making, habit formation, risk perception, and social influence—to encourage sustainable behaviors and policies.
• Support policy and advocacy efforts by translating scientific findings related to human development into actionable recommendations for governments, organizations, and communities.
• Engage in public outreach and education to enhance climate literacy, empower individuals and communities, and drive collective action.

By uniting developmental/behavioral scientists across disciplines and life-span perspectives, we aim to catalyze meaningful change and contribute to a safe, sustainable, equitable, and resilient future for all generations. We welcome and support the work of Developmental Scientists for Climate Action (DevSCA.org) in undertaking this work. 

To realize these goals, ISSBD will work with DevSCA to undertake actions such as:

• Organizing capacity-building initiatives focused on research, advocacy, policy engagement, and community impact.
• Developing training programs on climate and developmental science, such as interdisciplinary summer schools, workshops on climate science for developmental scientists, skill-building webinars, and online educational resources.
• Offering early career research grants and seed funding for interdisciplinary projects on climate change and human development.
• Encouraging data-sharing and open science initiatives to facilitate access to climate and developmental science datasets for scholars.
• Promoting mentorship and networking through a climate scholars mentorship program, global collaborative research networks, and intergenerational knowledge exchange programs, which bring together emerging and experienced scholars.
• Facilitating placement opportunities for ISSBD members with NGO’s, UN agencies, and governmental bodies working on climate and development.
• Highlighting opportunities for engagement and advocacy on climate change for ISSBD members. 

For more information or to get involved, visit DevSCA.org.

Prof. Tina Malti
President, International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development (ISSBD)