Conservation Through Character: Positive Psychology for Change

Behavioural science tells us that knowing what’s right doesn’t always translate into doing what’s right. This gap is shaped by three key psychological patterns:

Present Bias: People naturally prioritise immediate rewards over long-term benefits. A flashy new gadget today feels more tangible than reducing carbon footprints for future generations.

Social Norms: We take cues from those around us. If sustainable actions aren’t mainstream, they feel like swimming against the tide. "Why should I bother if no one else seems to care?" Or, for fear of being singled out.

Cognitive Dissonance: We often justify inaction to align with our current habits. "Giving up meat won’t make a difference!" This internal conflict leads people to downplay their individual impact or resist change altogether.

This is where the power of ecoliteracy comes into play. Having a profound understanding of how natural systems work and how human actions impact those systems is a powerful framework to bridge this gap. But in addition to teaching about the world’s complex systems, we need to equip our students with tools so that they can become agents of change. These tools come in the form of character strengths, skills, and dispositions, founded in positive psychology.

There are some easy-to-implement, effective eco-literacy strategies that incorporate behavioural change insights that all educators, no matter their background, can apply with their learners:

•  Make sustainable actions the best option. The simpler the action, the more likely people will adopt it. Embedding practical steps within everyday learning, from reducing waste in classrooms to incorporating design thinking and innovation, creates lasting habits.

•  Showcase collective action. A sad truth is that people want to follow what others do. Highlighting positive environmental shifts happening locally and globally encourages students to join the movement rather than feel like lone crusaders. Using influence is key—we can see the incredible successes of people like Mr. Beast—we can build this into our classrooms and communities.

•  Tie sustainable behaviours to identity. People are more likely to act when their choices align with their values and self-perception. Language plays a key role here. Referring to students as 'caretakers' or 'stewards' reinforces a sense of purpose. When students see themselves as custodians of the planet, their actions become an expression of who they are, not just what they do.

One example of ecoliteracy in action is a campaign we designed to protect sea turtle nesting sites here in Dubai. Faced with the threat of foraging wildlife, pollution, and coastal development, our Year 9 students worked with conservationists and marine biologists directly to devise ways to protect the nesting sites.

Through working in the field, students learned about the nesting habits of endangered turtles. Through fieldwork, they saw turtles firsthand, and that was the catalyst. From that point, they all bought into the project. They were deeply motivated to innovate and create ways to protect the nests. As a result, they became highly influential, sharing their stories with members of the wider community, spreading awareness, and, critically, hope! We know hope is contagious.

The most impactful piece of the work was the way we communicated with the students, referring to them as caretakers and stewards. They began connecting environmental responsibility to their identity as custodians of their coastline. They had always known that we should protect these endangered animals, and they had learned about IUCN Red List the previous year, but until they were directly involved and began to see themselves as stewards of this project, they did not have the emotional connection to the project. Using character to tap into conservation challenges can drive outcomes. We know that this was the case, as we track our students’ willingness to act and knowledge of action possibilities. Our trend over time is unbelievably positive and defies global norms, which anticipate that teens’ hope drops off around the age of 13. This is not the case for our teens.

Incorporating ecoliteracy into education isn’t just about teaching facts; it’s about nurturing values, empathy, and responsibility and allowing students to see environmental responsibility as part of their identity. In turn, we empower them to shape a fairer, more sustainable world…and this is what we need.

Effective ecoliteracy programmes are the key to unlocking the future generations’ ambition, and educators are in the perfect position to make it happen. Learning in classrooms, then taking it into action driven by character strengths and skills.

Written by, Hannah Mainds, Head of Environmental and Global Conservation Education