When it comes to behaviour change, many of the challenges we face require people to do something today for a benefit that arrives tomorrow. Preparing for an earthquake, taking preventative health measures, or putting money aside for retirement – all fall into the category of future-focused behaviour. In practice, the relationship between knowledge and action is far more complex than this assumption suggests.

Climate resilience is no exception. In many ways, it is one of the clearest examples of the intention-action gap. Climate risk data is widely available, yet uptake and preparedness remain uneven. This disconnect is frequently treated as an information problem, as though more data or clearer explanations will automatically drive behaviour change. But behaviour change is rarely driven by information alone.

The future feels far away – and sometimes too uncomfortable

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Humans are not designed to respond easily to distant risk. We are wired to prioritise what is directly in front of us rather than more distant future events, and a set of familiar behavioural tendencies shape this response:

– Present bias leads us to favour immediate comfort over future benefits.
– Optimism bias tells us that “she’ll be right” and “it won’t happen to me.”
– The intention–action gap keeps well-meaning plans stuck on to-do lists.

In the context of climate resilience, these tendencies are amplified by emotional discomfort. Planning for storms, floods, or long-term damage requires people to engage with uncertainty and potential loss. For many, avoidance feels easier than sitting with those possibilities.

This came to life in TRA’s research with the Ministry for the Environment on climate resilience amongst property-owners. Despite detailed climate risk information being freely available on many council websites, only one in ten homeowners feel they have a strong knowledge of how climate change will impact their property.

Likewise, in our recent report, 'The future we want’, we explored how Australians and New Zealanders feel about the future. Participants were split – some were optimistic and hopeful, while many were concerned, sceptical or overwhelmed. When presented with a scenario about accessing even more granular climate-impact data, people were again divided. Some saw it as enabling better decisions, others felt it would simply increase anxiety without helping them act.
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Why information alone doesn’t lead to action
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It is tempting to assume that if people know more, they will do more. Behavioural science repeatedly challenges that assumption. Understanding a risk does not guarantee motivation, and in some cases highly detailed or fear-driven information can backfire, leading to analysis paralysis rather than preparedness.

People differ widely in how future oriented they are. Some naturally plan ahead, while others struggle to prioritise long-term outcomes alongside immediate demands. Shifting future-focused behaviour therefore requires more than facts. It requires designing environments and interventions that reflect how people think and respond.

Below are four behavioural principles that help close the gap between awareness and action.
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1. Social proof: Show what others are doing

Humans are social creatures – when a behaviour feels new, effortful or uncertain, we look sideways to see what others are doing. This is the behavioural principle of social proof, one of the strongest drivers of norm-shifting behaviour.

If people believe no one else is preparing for climate impacts, they’re unlikely to act. But when they see evidence of people in their area taking steps towards resilience, councils modelling good practice, or large numbers of others already acting – preparedness starts to feel normal, even expected.

In behaviour change work, normalisation is powerful. Nobody wants to be the odd one out.

2. The messenger effect: It’s not just what you say, but who says it

The messenger effect shows that people are far more persuaded by messages from voices they trust. 'Dentists recommend Colgate’ has been a tagline for Colgate for years for a reason. For example, women encouraging their mothers, sisters, friends and peers to attend preventative cervical screenings is often more effective because the messenger feels relatable, credible and safe. At TRA, we refer to this as ‘support the supporters’ – arming the key messengers with the key message to pass on to others.  

For climate resilience, messengers could include:

– neighbours who have experienced flooding
– local community leaders
– trusted council representatives
– builders, engineers or community groups
– or even peers sharing small but meaningful actions

The right messenger can cut through noise, uncertainty and scepticism – especially when the topic feels technical or emotionally charged.

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3. Moments that matter: Time your message to when people are most receptive

Even the best message, from the best messenger, will flop if delivered at the wrong moment.

Behavioural science calls this being ‘timely’. At TRA we look at moments that matter – points where people are more naturally open to change.  

For example, cyber security behaviours are not always front and centre in people’s minds. But through our research with the National Centre for Cyber Security, we found that when people get a new device or new bank account, they’re much more likely to set up a new password or get a password manager – utilising the ‘fresh start effect’. They’re also much more likely to act after a high-profile data hack – the ‘recency effect’ – so having cyber security messaging show up after big news headlines is the moment that matters in this instance.

In climate resilience, key moments could include:

– when a homeowner receives key property risk information, such as a LIM report in New Zealand or council planning certificates and flood overlays in Australia
– when extreme weather hits the news
– after council communications about community-wide upgrades
– at the point of renovation or home insurance renewal

These are natural windows where preparedness messages can land with far more impact.
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4. Show ‘runs on the board’: Make progress feel achievable

Starting from scratch can feel overwhelming – especially when dealing with big, complex topics like climate risk. This is where progress framing becomes powerful.

When people see they’ve already made small steps – installed drains, cleared gutters, attended a community meeting – the ask feels easier. Behavioural research shows that people are more motivated when they feel they’re already on the journey, rather than starting from zero.

Small wins reduce psychological friction – they create momentum and help people believe they can keep going.
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Bringing it all together: Designing for human behaviour, not ideal behaviour
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Climate resilience, like many future-focused behaviours, is shaped by psychology. People are not disengaged because they don’t care – they are balancing uncertainty, emotional discomfort, and competing priorities.

The task is to create conditions where future impacts feel tangible, decisions feel supported, and taking the next step feels realistically within reach.