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The Behavioural Advantage: Transforming Climate Ambitions into Action

Leveraging human decision-making for scalable climate
adaptation, mitigation, and resilience.

Wonder Why?

CSBC conducted India’s first cross-sectoral study to understand behavioral barriers to climate-friendly choices, generating actionable insights across mobility, energy, food,
and waste to inform evidence-based interventions and
drive impactful, scalable climate action.

In Dehradun’s Windlass River Valley, CSBC’s pilot led to a rise in self-reported waste segregation from 89% to 98% of households, demonstrating how behaviorally informed tools and community engagement can drive meaningful improvements in everyday environmental practices.

CSBC is leading India’s first dedicated programme at the intersection of climate action and behavioural science, creating a foundation for scalable, evidence-based solutions that drive sustainable choices and influence systems across mobility, energy, food, and waste.

CSBC is leading India’s 

1st

dedicated programme at the intersection of climate action and behavioural science to generate scalable, evidence-based interventions and drive impactful, scalable climate action.

Across these behavioural domains, the project explored a total of

9

behavioural solutions,

identified

50

interventions,

and, finally, piloted

3

interventions,

for promoting climate mitigation behaviours.

CSBC conducted India’s 

1st

cross-sectoral study to understand behaviour barriers to climate-friendly choices, to arrive at a set of actionable insights across mobility, energy, food, and waste.

CSBC’s work focuses on four critical areas: mobility, food, energy, and  waste management, while also expanding into other climate-relevant domains. By applying behavioural science, CSBC identifies and addresses barriers and enablers to promote sustainable choices and support climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience for a low-carbon future.

Measuring social impact not just in numbers, but in the lived experiences and improved quality of life of those we serve.

Our Work

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Mobility

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Food

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Energy

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Waste Management

Cycling

The report “Greening Urban Mobility in India: Cycling” analyzes barriers and enablers to cycling adoption in Indian cities, with Panaji as a case study. It identifies infrastructure deficiencies, safety issues, and cultural perceptions as challenges, and proposes strategic interventions to promote cycling, reduce emissions, and enhance public health.

EV Sales

The report “Greening Urban Mobility in India: EV Sales” examines the role of sales agents in promoting electric vehicle (EV) adoption in India. It identifies barriers such as limited knowledge and customer biases, and highlights facilitators like test drives and pro-environmental communication. The study recommends interventions to improve EV sales through enhanced sales agent training and customer engagement strategies

EV Purchases

The report “Greening Urban Mobility in India: EV Purchase” examines barriers and enablers to electric vehicle adoption, highlighting challenges such as limited knowledge, high costs, and inadequate charging infrastructure. It recommends targeted interventions and policies to encourage adoption, reduce emissions, and support sustainable urban mobility transitions.

Metro Rail

The report “Greening Urban Mobility in India: Metro Rail” examines barriers and enablers to metro adoption in Indian cities, focusing on Delhi Metro. It highlights behaviour obstacles and promoting factors, recommending targeted interventions and policies to increase metro use, reduce emissions, and improve urban mobility.

Walking

The report “Greening Urban Mobility in India: Walking” examines barriers and facilitators influencing walking as a mode of transport in Indian cities, using Panaji, Goa, as a case study. It identifies individual perceptions of safety and status, along with inadequate infrastructure, as key obstacles. Conversely, factors like pleasant weather and environmental awareness encourage walking. The study recommends interventions to promote walking, aiming to reduce emissions and enhance urban mobility.

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Food Consumption

The report “Greener Palates in Urban India” examines food consumption’s environmental impact. It identifies key behaviours like choosing local, seasonal, and plant-based foods and reducing waste. Barriers include convenience, cost, and awareness. The study recommends interventions to promote sustainable choices and support low-carbon urban lifestyles.

Know More

AC Usage

The “Greener Cooling in Indian Cities” report explores barriers to adopting energy-efficient air conditioners in Delhi, including cost, lack of awareness, and misconceptions. It highlights key behaviours such as selecting efficient models, maintaining optimal temperature settings, and regular servicing, and recommends behavioural and policy interventions to reduce emissions and energy use.

Solar Panels

The report “Harnessing Sunlight for Greener Power” examines the adoption of rooftop solar panels in Indian households. It identifies barriers such as limited awareness, high upfront costs, and complex installation processes, while facilitators include government incentives and peer influence. The study recommends interventions to promote widespread adoption, aiming to reduce carbon emissions and enhance sustainable energy consumption.

Electricity Consumption

The report “Reducing Household Electricity Consumption Through Behaviourally Informed Nudges in Electricity Bills” explores strategies to reduce electricity consumption among high-income households in Indian cities. It tests five categories of behavioural nudges—commitments, goal-setting, information provision, feedback, and rewards—through online experiments and in-field pilots. The study aims to identify effective interventions that can be integrated into electricity bills to promote sustainable energy usage and contribute to India’s net-zero emissions target by 2070.

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Waste Segregation

The report “Greener Waste Management in Indian Cities” explores behavioural and structural challenges hindering effective waste segregation in urban India. It identifies barriers like limited awareness, time constraints, and inadequate infrastructure and recommends interventions to promote sustainable waste management and reduce carbon footprints.

Know More

Our Work

Mobility

Cycling

The report “Greening Urban Mobility in India: Cycling” analyzes barriers and enablers to cycling adoption in Indian cities, with Panaji as a case study. It identifies infrastructure deficiencies, safety issues, and cultural perceptions as challenges, and proposes strategic interventions to promote cycling, reduce emissions, and enhance public health.

EV Sales

The report “Greening Urban Mobility in India: EV Sales” examines the role of sales agents in promoting electric vehicle (EV) adoption in India. It identifies barriers such as limited knowledge and customer biases, and highlights facilitators like test drives and pro-environmental communication. The study recommends interventions to improve EV sales through enhanced sales agent training and customer engagement strategies

EV Purchases

The report “Greening Urban Mobility in India: EV Purchase” examines barriers and enablers to electric vehicle adoption, highlighting challenges such as limited knowledge, high costs, and inadequate charging infrastructure. It recommends targeted interventions and policies to encourage adoption, reduce emissions, and support sustainable urban mobility transitions.

Metro Rail

The report “Greening Urban Mobility in India: Metro Rail” examines barriers and enablers to metro adoption in Indian cities, focusing on Delhi Metro. It highlights behavioral obstacles and promoting factors, recommending targeted interventions and policies to increase metro use, reduce emissions, and improve urban mobility.

Walking

The report “Greening Urban Mobility in India: Walking” examines barriers and facilitators influencing walking as a mode of transport in Indian cities, using Panaji, Goa, as a case study. It identifies individual perceptions of safety and status, along with inadequate infrastructure, as key obstacles. Conversely, factors like pleasant weather and environmental awareness encourage walking. The study recommends interventions to promote walking, aiming to reduce emissions and enhance urban mobility.
Know More
Food

Food Consumption

The report “Greener Palates in Urban India” examines food consumption’s environmental impact. It identifies key behaviors like choosing local, seasonal, and plant-based foods and reducing waste. Barriers include convenience, cost, and awareness. The study recommends interventions to promote sustainable choices and support low-carbon urban lifestyles.

Know More
Energy

AC Usage

The “Greener Cooling in Indian Cities” report explores barriers to adopting energy-efficient air conditioners in Delhi, including cost, lack of awareness, and misconceptions. It highlights key behaviors such as selecting efficient models, maintaining optimal temperature settings, and regular servicing, and recommends behavioral and policy interventions to reduce emissions and energy use.

Solar Panels

The report “Harnessing Sunlight for Greener Power” examines the adoption of rooftop solar panels in Indian households. It identifies barriers such as limited awareness, high upfront costs, and complex installation processes, while facilitators include government incentives and peer influence. The study recommends interventions to promote widespread adoption, aiming to reduce carbon emissions and enhance sustainable energy consumption.

Electricity Consumption

The report “Reducing Household Electricity Consumption Through Behaviourally Informed Nudges in Electricity Bills” explores strategies to reduce electricity consumption among high-income households in Indian cities. It tests five categories of behavioural nudges—commitments, goal-setting, information provision, feedback, and rewards—through online experiments and in-field pilots. The study aims to identify effective interventions that can be integrated into electricity bills to promote sustainable energy usage and contribute to India’s net-zero emissions target by 2070.

Know More
Waste Management

Waste Segregation

The report “Greener Waste Management in Indian Cities” explores behavioral and structural challenges hindering effective waste segregation in urban India. It identifies barriers like limited awareness, time constraints, and inadequate infrastructure and recommends interventions to promote sustainable waste management and reduce carbon footprints.

Know More

The Way Forward

Ongoing Projects
Continue work on the APAG electric crematorium initiative, aimed at reducing carbon emissions in funeral practices, along with other behaviour-led climate action projects.

Building Capacity
Develop training curricula and conduct workshops to strengthen understanding and application of behaviour change for climate action at public sector and grassroots levels.

Mainstreaming Behavioural Science in Climate Action
Drive strategic events, visibility campaigns, and stakeholder conversations to mainstream behavioural science and amplify its impact.

Join us in scaling low-carbon lifestyles
for a sustainable India

If you are interested in being a part of climate change solutions through the lens of behavioral change, Let’s Talk!

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