Opinion: How leadership shapes our choices on climate change

If Big Oil had led on climate instead of denying it, we might be living in a very different world, writes Ruxandra Guidi for High Country News.

In short:

• In the late 1960s, oil executives buried early warnings about carbon pollution, choosing profits over truth and paving the way for decades of climate denial. But what if they had done the opposite, Guidi asks.
• New research shows that people are far more likely to make sustainable choices when they see trusted leaders — from politicians to pop stars — modeling those behaviors themselves.
• Behavior change, especially when reinforced through social comparison, can spark broader cultural shifts, and local leaders like Tucson’s mayor are proving how policy and example can ripple through communities.

Why this matters:

People don’t change because of facts alone — they change because someone they trust goes first. That’s why it matters when a mayor bikes to work, or a pop star ditches private jets for trains. These acts, however small, get noticed. They turn into norms. They turn into culture. And that’s where policy finds its footing.

Read more: Wealth and the climate dilemma