Behavioral Change for Environmental Impact

In collaboration with the Buenos Aires City Government and supported by the World Bank, I led a project as Principal Researcher that applied behavioral insights to communication strategies to promote pro-environmental behavior.

My focus was on addressing cognitive biases through “nudges” to encourage citizens to reduce pollution in the city’s subway system. This project involved qualitative research, including literature review, interviews, and observations in different city locations.

We conducted a detailed user experience diagnosis of the Hydrological Plan website, pinpointing key pain points with the goal of improving user engagement and optimizing the project’s reach and effectiveness.

We also presented two behavioral interventions developed after a co-creation workshop with government staff. In this workshop, eight behavioral science-based interventions were proposed, all aimed at increasing the visibility of the city’s underground streams and encouraging public participation in the Hydraulic Plan platform. Together with government staff, we selected the most viable interventions based on evaluation criteria and feasibility. Each selected intervention was designed based on field data and supported by behavioral science strategies, and each had a clear evaluation protocol to measure effectiveness.

The goal of this work was not only to improve citizens’ relationship with water in the city, but also to increase knowledge and engagement in the challenge of caring for the streams, contributing to a healthier and more environmentally conscious community.