We care, but delegate: Climate disasters and climate migration trigger concern, normative beliefs, and altruism — but not cooperation

Despite growing awareness of climate change, individual action remains limited. We conducted two pre-registered experiments (one online with a representative sample, one in the laboratory with incentivized tasks) to examine whether framing climate risks as natural disasters – i.e., an immediate, unpredictable threat – or climate migration – i.e., a distant, gradual threat – in one’s own country fosters pro-environmental behavior, also identifying mechanisms behind the persistent intention–action gap. Exposure to nature risks increased personal normative beliefs, concern, and donations to environmental causes, but did not promote cooperation in settings prone to free-riding. Hormonal data revealed a defensive ‘flight’ response, suggesting risk avoidance in strategic contexts. Altruism emerged in noncompetitive settings, but collective action remained limited by fear that others would not cooperate, prompting individuals to delegate responsibility to institutions. This tendency was especially pronounced among participants with high institutional trust, who, after exposure to climate risks, lowered their contributions and expectations in strategic settings, while increasing donations in non-strategic contexts.