How to Analyse National Climate Plans for Individual Climate Action and Behaviour Change

National climate plans are crucial documents that describe how a country intends to achieve its climate goals. The Dutch government has published its draft Climate Plan 2025-2035 for public consultation. To understand the role of individuals in the climate plan, we systematically reviewed how it addresses individual climate actions and behaviour change. Here are our lessons learned.

Start Early

Climate policy is comprehensive and complex. Understanding a climate plan takes time, so start early—preferably before it is finalised—to ensure your ideas can be incorporated. If the government holds a public consultation, seize the opportunity to participate!

Work Systematically

To assess how the climate plan addresses individual climate actions and behaviour change, consider answering the following questions:

Does the climate plan include impactful actions for individuals? Look for specific actions such as "Adopt a Plant-Rich Diet", "Reduce Food Waste", "Improve Home Insulation" or "Use Public Transit", and compare these to known impactful behaviours.
Do the included actions cover all relevant sectors? Ensure that proposed actions address all climate sectors and translate them into domains relevant to individuals, such as Travel, Living, Food, Goods, and Energy.
Does the climate plan employ tools to stimulate behaviour change? Examine which tools are used to influence individual behaviour. For example, does the climate plan set proper defaults and communicate norms effectively?
Does the climate plan leverage Climate Action Platforms (CAPs)? Investigate whether CAPs are utilised to support individuals in making sustainable choices and increasing their engagement in climate action.

Consider Local Context

Consider the local context when analysing the climate plan, particularly when making recommendations. For instance, while promoting rooftop solar panels and other distributed solar photovoltaic systems may be an effective strategy in one country, it could pose challenges in another due to infrastructural limitations.

Use Existing Resources

Refer to WRI's examination of consumer behaviours in NDCs and Project Drawdown's list of individual climate actions. Compare these to actions included in the climate plan.

WRI also analysed tools used in NDCs to influence behaviours, categorising them into three groups that summarise eight behavioural change instruments identified by the IPCC. Compare these to the instruments in the climate plan.

Use Count Us In and Rare's criteria for effective Climate Action Platforms (CAPs) to assess any CAPs mentioned in the climate plan or to suggest features of effective CAPs if none are included.

Involve Others

Share your draft response online and ask for feedback. Allow others to edit or comment on the response. Clearly communicate how input will be used in the final response. Offer the option to co-sign the response.

Publish the Results

Make the final response public for everyone to access. Our response can be read here: Response to draft Climate Plan 2025-2035 of the Netherlands.

Good luck analysing your national climate plan!