Behavioural science interventions within the development and environmental fields in developing countries: An evidence gap map

Samantha Booth, Romina Cavatassi, Benjamin Curtis, Deborah Sun Kim, Laurenz Langer, Caitlin Blaser Mapitsa, Promise Nduku, Martin Prowse, Jyotsna Puri, Jamie Robertsen

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Abstract

This evidence gap map (EGM) presents a landscape of studies on the effectiveness of behavioural science interventions in non-Annex I settings, a group of mainly developing countries within the context of the Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The EGM summarizes causal evidence from development and environmental interventions. Understanding what is effective in changing behaviour in these countries is important for both adaptation and mitigation purposes. Although the evidence base is thin, the EGM reveals that the most commonly evaluated interventions are reminders, feedback, micro-incentives, salience of communication, commitment devices, salience of experience design (how individuals interact with their physical or digital environment), goal setting, rules of thumb, social norms and social benchmarking. The impact evaluations are relatively skewed towards sub-Saharan Africa and East Asia and the Pacific. A limited number of impact evaluations have been conducted in Europe and Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. A majority of the studies included in the EGM emanate from the water, sanitation and hygiene sector, the financial sector, the energy and extractives sector and the agricultural sector
Original languageEnglish
PublisherGreen Climate Fund Independent Evaluation Unit
Number of pages76
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2022

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