Recent developments in Behavioral Environmental Economics and Policy

Behavioral Environmental Economics and Policy (BEEP) is a well-established field at the intersection of behavioral economics, environmental economics, and policy. Drawing on insights from psychology and the broader behavioral sciences, BEEP seeks to improve environmental decision-making. Over the past six decades, it has informed policies by examining how people perceive, value, and act on environmental issues. Key applications include understanding behavioral differences in preferences for environmental goods and services (e.g., willingness to pay versus willingness to accept), exploring how temporal preferences shape the valuation of climate change costs and benefits, and developing applied policy tools such as green nudges. With the field now reaching maturity, this is an opportune moment to take stock of recent advances in BEEP and assess its future directions.

This research topic seeks to consolidate and showcase novel empirical studies that demonstrate the value of behavioral insights in environmental policymaking. Although BEEP has developed into a rich subfield over the past six decades, few systematic efforts have been made to map its diverse applications. This collection aims to fill that gap by offering both researchers and practitioners actionable, evidence-based insights on how to put BEEP into practice. Framed in this way, the volume will serve as a comprehensive resource, drawing on recent examples that illustrate how recognizing and addressing human behavior is critical to tackling pressing global environmental challenges—including climate change, biodiversity loss, and air and water pollution.

This research topic invites empirical articles that apply behavioral insights to understand, explain, or address environmental problems (broadly defined). Literature reviews and purely theoretical contributions will not be considered. We particularly welcome studies employing quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method approaches. Relevant themes include, but are not limited to:

1. The role of human preferences in environmental valuation and decision-making.

2. Applications of behavioral toolkits (e.g., nudging, boosting, nudge+) in environmental policy.

3. Ethical considerations in the use of behavioral insights for environmental decision-making.

4. Individual- and system-level interventions to promote sustainable behaviors and policies.

5. The role of AI and digital technologies in understanding or shaping behavioral environmental preferences.

6. Behavioral drivers of collective action for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

7. Social norms, identity, and cultural factors in shaping environmental behaviors.

8. Behavioral insights for biodiversity conservation, pollution reduction, and sustainable resource use.

9. Heterogeneity and personalization in behavioral interventions for environmental outcomes.

10. Behavioral spillovers, rebound effects, and unintended consequences of environmental interventions.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Classification
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Classification
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Environmental Science, Public Policy, Behavioral Science, Environmental Economics, Behavioral Economics

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.