Nudging for a Greener Future

Public policy is everywhere, from the values and beliefs ingrained in people to the laws people follow, which the state makes. A nudge is that facet of the choice architecture that reasonably changes an individual&s;s behaviour without restricting any options or altering their economic incentives. Nudges empower individuals by making desirable, readily available choices, not by taking options away. With reminders, signals, and defaults affecting pro-environmental behaviour, adopting greener choices becomes a natural nudge in the right direction. Green nudges are a strategy for encouraging people to adopt pro-environmental behaviour or take environmental protection measures. These subtle interventions aim to influence decision-making without coercion. They are informed by behavioural economics and psychology to encourage pro-environmental behaviour through minimal environmental changes. The chapter provides public policy insights and an overview of nudging to encourage pro-environmental behaviour to limit the effects of climate change. The study begins by discussing some major types of green nudges and some significant examples. Then, the chapter delves into the Swachh Bharat Mission and the impact of lockdown on bees within the Indian context. It also examines the broader implications of COP28 for effective environmental harmony. Adopting a secondary research method and introducing several key aspects, the chapter engages with research papers, interview transcripts, and articles. The study recommends boosting pro-environmental behaviour through nudges in public policies. These recommendations are understanding the target population on which the public policies including green nudges will be implemented, leveraging artificial intelligence and technology in such public policies which will be directed at encouraging pro-environmental behaviour among the public, changes in the infrastructure required to implement the green nudge environmental policies, tailoring these green nudges based on socio-economic and cultural contexts, and finally time-bound evaluation and invigilation of such public policies.