A simple tweak in how climate risk is described can dramatically boost how people respond to disaster-prep messaging, according to a new Nature Human Behaviour study from the Stockholm School of Economics and Harvard University. The research suggests a practical, low-cost tactic for governments, insurers, and local authorities aiming to strengthen resilience in communities most at risk.
In a large field experiment with about 13,000 homeowners in Australian areas prone to wildfires, researchers tested whether emails that referenced recipients’ suburbs would spark greater interest in wildfire safety compared with generic notices.
The results showed a clear effect: those who received locally framed messages were twice as likely to seek more information on protective actions than those who got non-local communications.
"Climate threats often feel distant and abstract to many people," notes Nurit Nobel, the study’s lead author and a researcher at the Center for Sustainability Research at the Stockholm School of Economics. "Mentioning someone’s own neighborhood makes the risk concrete and easier to grasp. That level of localization helps people see how the issue touches their daily lives, nudging them toward practical steps."
Practical steps for homeowners
While certain climate-related disasters can’t be prevented, individuals can still take concrete measures to reduce potential damage. Suggestions highlighted in the emails include clearing gutters, creating defensible space around homes, and removing flammable materials ahead of fire season. The study emphasizes that these are simple, evidence-based actions.
"Nobody can stop a flash flood or a wildfire from spreading entirely," Nobel adds, "but homes can be made more resilient. Our findings show that how information is delivered—especially when it feels local and personal—significantly influences whether people engage with it."
Although a substantial body of research has focused on promoting carbon-reduction behaviors to tackle climate change, studies on encouraging protective actions that help people adapt to existing climate risks are fewer. This study, conducted in collaboration with a major Australian bank, explores that less-charted territory: behavioral interventions for climate adaptation.
Urgent need for preparedness
The study arrives amid rising costs from climate-driven disasters that challenge governments, insurers, and homeowners. Extreme weather events, including wildfires and floods, have grown more frequent in recent years. In the United States, billion-dollar climate disasters have tripled since 1980, and Europe has logged record wildfire-affected areas in recent years.
Yet prompting individuals to take protective measures remains difficult, especially when risks feel vague or distant. While the intervention produced a modest per-person effect, researchers say it can yield substantial engagement when deployed at scale.
Scalable, low-cost intervention
"In real-world settings, even small shifts in behavior can yield meaningful results when applied across thousands or millions of people," says co-author Michael Hiscox, a Harvard University professor. "Localized, proximal messaging is a scalable, low-cost tool that could amplify the reach of preparedness information for both private institutions and public authorities seeking pre-disaster action."
The authors advocate further testing of localized messaging across various hazards and cultural contexts. They also highlight the importance of ongoing collaboration between academia and industry to develop and test real-world climate adaptation strategies that require cross-sector effort.
Publication details
Study title: Enhancing climate resilience with proximal cues in personalized climate disaster preparedness messaging. Authors: Nurit Nobel and Michael Hiscox. Source: Nature Human Behaviour, online December 8, 2025. DOI: 10.1038/s41562-025-02352-w.
About the Stockholm School of Economics
The Stockholm School of Economics is recognized as a leading business school in the Nordic and Baltic regions with a strong international presence. Its research-driven programs—spanning bachelor, master, PhD, MBA, and Executive Education—are designed in close collaboration with industry and research partners to prepare graduates for leadership roles.
The school holds EQUIS accreditation, confirming adherence to high international standards in both teaching and research. It is also the only Swedish member of the global university networks CEMS and PIM, which connect top business schools worldwide to uphold quality and opportunities for students.
Public note: This release summarizes the study as presented by the authors. For full details and context, refer to the original publication.
