Affect, (group-based) emotions, and climate change action

While there is little scientific doubt that the climate is actually changing, people are relatively averse to taking action. To better understand climate change (in-)action, I will summarize the recent literature that examines the affective and emotional processes associated with climate change. Currently, mainly two routes are discussed: first, the study of affective responses to risk perception and second, conceptualizing climate action as a collective phenomenon. Studies show that personal relevance and perceived importance of environmental issues increase risk perception and that collective environmental actions are driven by group-based emotions. However, instead of focusing mainly on negative affect and (group-based) emotions, such as 'eco guilt' or fear related to climate change, I conclude by suggesting a more optimistic and positive approach to establish new norms of climate-friendly lifestyles and policies.