Individualism, Structuralism, and Climate Change

Scholars, journalists, and activists working on climate change often distinguish between “individual” “structural” approaches to decarbonization. The former concern choices individuals can make reduce their “personal carbon footprint” (e.g. eating less meat). latter changes institutions, laws, other social structures. These two are framed as oppositional, representing a mutually exclusive forced choice alternative routes After presenting representative samples of this oppositional framing individual structural in environmental communication, we identify four problems with thinking propose five ways conceive reform symbiotic interdependent.