Using Visual Stories to Inspire Pro Environmental Action in a Changing Climate
This collaborative research project brings together the University of Warwick and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore to explore how people can be encouraged to adopt more sustainable behaviours in response to climate change. Led by Dr Feng Mao from the School for Cross-faculty Studies, Faculty of Arts at Warwick and Dr Hong Xu from the School of Social Sciences at NTU, the project focuses on a simple but powerful idea. People are more likely to act on climate change when they can clearly see, understand, and emotionally connect with what the future might look like.
Although most people are aware that climate change is happening, it often feels distant and abstract. Rising sea levels, water shortages, and extreme weather are easy to discuss in theory but difficult to imagine in everyday life. This makes behaviour change challenging, especially when the benefits of action may not be felt immediately. Traditional approaches such as information campaigns or policy incentives are helpful, but they do not always translate into lasting changes in daily habits.
Dr Hong Xu’s research examines how visual narratives shape the way people perceive and respond to environmental risks. Visual stories can take many forms, from data driven graphics and short films to immersive experiences using augmented or virtual reality. These approaches can turn scientific projections into vivid, relatable experiences. For example, interactive simulations showing future flooding or water stress can help people better grasp how climate change could affect their own communities and daily routines, making risks feel more real and personal.
Working alongside this expertise, Dr Feng Mao is an interdisciplinary environmental scientist whose research focuses on water security, climate risk, environmental decision making, and game-based methods for studying behaviour. His work looks closely at how people make choices under uncertainty and how creative and interactive tools can support better decision making in complex environmental contexts. Together, the researchers are investigating how visual narratives can bridge the gap between understanding climate change and taking meaningful action.
The project, titled “From Perception, Cognition, and Emotion to Action: Visual Narratives as Pathways to Pro-Environmental Behaviour under Climate Change (ViNEB)”, develops and tests innovative visual narratives designed to nudge people towards more sustainable behaviours. These narratives are created in interactive, gamified, and multisensory formats that actively engage participants rather than presenting information passively. The research team then evaluates their effectiveness through carefully designed experiments and follow up surveys. These measure not only whether behaviour changes occur, but also how people’s perceptions, thoughts, and emotional responses shift as a result.
By linking what people see and feel with what they do, the project aims to uncover the pathways that lead from awareness to action. The outcomes will include clear, evidence-based guidance on how visual tools can be used responsibly and effectively to encourage pro environmental behaviour. This guidance will be packaged into a practical toolkit and design principles that can be used by policymakers, non-governmental organisations, and industry partners working on climate communication and sustainability initiatives.
Beyond its immediate findings, the project establishes a strong foundation for long term collaboration between Warwick and NTU. Both Dr Feng Mao and Dr Hong Xu are committed to involving early career researchers in the work, offering opportunities for doctoral students and research assistants to gain hands on experience in interdisciplinary climate research. Through joint research activities, reciprocal visits, and collaborative publications, the partnership aims to shape future international funding bids and build a lasting research programme focused on human behaviour, climate change, and creative communication.
By combining behavioural science, environmental research, and creative technologies, this project shows how thoughtful visual storytelling can play a crucial role in helping individuals and societies move towards a more sustainable future.