Coping with the climate crisis: How to address climate emotions to galvanize sustainability transformations

Sammanfattning: Effectively coping with climate emotions has untapped potential to galvanize sustainability transformations. This thesis investigates how individuals cope effectively with climate change, and how to upscale coping for sustainability. First, I used a systematic literature review to define effective coping: coping that ensures emotional wellbeing and climate engagement, encompassing meaning- focused approaches. Next, I used a systematic document review to compare literature to a case study, BeChange, that helps people reduce their emissions and cope with climate emotions. BeChange applied both meaning- and problem-focused coping and demonstrated improved emotional wellbeing and pro-environmental behavior in selfreport surveys. Finally, the results from the two reviews were situated in the three spheres of transformation framework to explore the potential for upscaling effective coping, suggesting that effective coping can contribute to sustainability transformations across scales. Actors working towards sustainability, like social innovations, educators, and social movements, can target effective coping to increase sustainability.