Why behavioural systems are key to achieving net zero

Achieving net zero emissions requires using a systemic lens to understand the interconnected dynamics of our daily choices. This means zooming in on individual actions along complex supply chains and consumption environments. 

Take agriculture, for example. Agriculture accounts for around 18% of Australia's total climate pollution. However, reducing emissions in agriculture isn’t just about consumer choices, such as eating fewer carbon-heavy foods. When an individual chooses whether to order a cheeseburger or a veggie burger, many decisions have already been made for them. These include producers' choices in growing, raising, or transporting our foods or how restaurants and retailers influence choices through recipes, menus, and interior design. 

According to experts, identifying the most efficient way to reach net zero requires a holistic view of these interdependent choices and how they impact one another over time. Integrating systems thinking and behavioural science into behavioural systems promises to do just this – help us understand systems through the eyes of their actors and study behaviours in the complexity of their context.

Last year, the UNSW Institute for Climate Risk & Response and sistemaFutura hosted a Behavioural Science for Climate Action roundtable. The event brought together several experts, including behavioural scientists, sustainability professionals, and industry leaders, to explore how systems thinking can support Australia's net-zero transition. The workshop focused on agriculture and dietary behaviours, uncovering actionable insights to address this significant source of carbon emissions.

Working in small groups, the participants were prompted to “take a step back”. Before looking at solutions to shift behaviours, they dove into the problem, from surface-level events to root causes ranging from structural to behavioural. They also mapped the many key stakeholders in this space and power structures, seeking to understand who influences system outcomes, their expected roles, and their interactions. 

So, what did this exercise uncover?

What a systems approach reveals

Research shows that a systems approach, also known as systems thinking, significantly enhances behavioural science in understanding and fostering climate action by providing a holistic framework to analyse and address the interconnectedness of human behaviour, societal structures, and environmental systems. For example, the discussions during the roundtable revealed the need to shift the narrative away from placing the burden of change solely on consumers. While individual actions are vital, they occur within a system that constrains or enables sustainable behaviour and actions. 

So, a systems approach acknowledges the importance of considering carbon implications at every stage of the supply chain. However, this requires further analysis and interdisciplinary input. Through collaborative brainstorming, participants mapped key actors and their relationships within the food supply chain, fostering a systems-level perspective on the barriers and enablers to sustainable choices. 

This exercise aimed to turn the insights into a map visually demonstrating how people, things and behaviours are interconnected and how their relationships evolve.

The conversations inspired the development of two systems maps synthesised after the event by sistemaFutura, showing the impact of multiple decision-makers at key moments along the supply chain.

The first version of the map (below) has been published as an interactive infographic (here). It shows the limited interplay between micro, meso and macro-level factors and behaviours, focusing mainly on end-consumers' attitudes and behaviours towards vegan product consumption.

The second map (below), also available to view online here, shifted focus towards broader systemic interactions involving actors, factors and behaviours across different levels but still requires more depth for a comprehensive analysis of leverage points.

The benefit of a ‘systems map’

The above maps visualise the connections between consumer behaviours, enablers, and barriers. For example, the maps trace how consumer decisions – like purchasing plant-based products – are shaped by upstream factors such as:

• Producers adopting low-carbon agricultural practices.

• Retailers and restaurants making plant-based options accessible and appealing.

• Distribution networks minimising the carbon footprint of transporting food. 

UNSW Institute for Climate Risk & Response Director Professor Ben Newell, who led the session alongside sistemaFutura Head of Programs Alexandra De Filippo, explained that a systems approach broadens the scope of behavioural science. 

“Promoting thinking not only about how individual decisions are made but also how the systems in which people operate affect those decisions offers opportunities to develop more impactful interventions by examining interdependencies across the value chain,” he said.

“A systems map helps this process by clarifying where and when attempts to change behaviour are most likely to yield successful outcomes. Focussing too narrowly on the individual at the end of the process misses key upstream decision points that can shape downstream behaviours.”

After the workshop, the team prepared the second version of the map (for illustration purposes only) to show the myriad upstream actors and behaviours that may influence the production, transportation and consumption of vegan/vegetarian products. Since this wasn’t the focus of the discussion during the event, the drivers noted in this map do not capture the breadth or depth needed for a proper analysis of leverage points.

This map, however, demonstrates that (while traditional behavioural science often focuses on influencing individual choices) people’s decisions are profoundly intertwined with the broader supply chain and other ‘upstream factors’. This insight highlights the importance of addressing barriers and enhancing enablers at multiple levels, which is essential for systemic change.

Looking ahead

While the above maps offer valuable insights, one of the drawbacks is that they focus on specific systems within agriculture and diets. Expanding it to include carbon footprint analyses and other sectors could provide a fuller picture of the interdependencies in achieving net zero. Despite its limitations, the map is a strong starting point, highlighting how behavioural science can drive systemic change.

The roundtable also underscored the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing climate challenges. Integrating behavioural science with sustainability expertise can help policymakers and industry leaders anticipate trade-offs and unintended consequences. 

sistemaFutura Co-Founder, Ms De Filippo explained: “Through interdisciplinary collaborations, we can shed light on how people make decisions, but we should rely on other disciplinary experts to describe the carbon impact of different production and transportation options, for example, or how different climate scenarios will shift these dynamics in the future.” 

“Similarly, industry experts can describe structural or market factors that impact how suppliers and producers make decisions. Models should integrate this critical knowledge and be updated frequently for changing circumstances.”

Future efforts could include expanding behavioural system maps to environmental impacts, partnering with industries like food retail to design interventions, and strengthening interdisciplinary collaborations. Achieving net zero requires more than individual actions – it demands coordinated efforts across sectors and disciplines.