Dr. Linda Steg is a distinguished Environmental Psychologist and Professor at the University of Groningen whose pioneering work has reshaped understanding of human behavior in environmental contexts. Born in 1965 in Ravenswoud, she completed her studies in adult education at the University of Groningen and earned her doctorate there in 1996 with research focused on behavior surrounding car use. Following her doctoral work, she conducted influential research at the Netherlands Institute for Social Research where she examined factors motivating environmentally friendly behavior. Her career trajectory has been marked by significant leadership positions including her 2023 appointment to the Scientific Climate Council of the Netherlands, demonstrating her enduring impact on national climate policy discourse.
Dr. Steg's groundbreaking research examines the complex interplay between individual motivations, situational factors, and pro-environmental behavior, with particular emphasis on car use, energy consumption, sustainable food choices, and waste reduction. Her seminal work has established that intrinsic motivation plays a crucial role in the acceptance of climate policy, fundamentally shifting how policymakers approach environmental interventions. Publishing extensively in premier scientific journals including Science, Nature Climate Change, Nature Sustainability, and Nature Energy, she has amassed an impressive H-index of 79 with over 34,500 citations. Her expertise was instrumental in shaping critical global climate assessments as she served as a lead author for the 2018 IPCC special report on limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and the 2022 IPCC Sixth Assessment Report.
As Scientific Director of the Kurt Lewin Institute and former president of the Division of Environmental Psychology of the International Association of Applied Psychology, Dr. Steg has cultivated extensive collaborations between researchers, policymakers, non-governmental organizations, and industry leaders. Her leadership extends to numerous advisory roles including membership on the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, which recognized her exceptional contributions by electing her in 2017. The Dutch government honored her impact with the prestigious Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion in 2019 and the Stevin Prize in 2020, one of the Netherlands' highest scientific distinctions. Dr. Steg continues to advise policymakers on creating conditions that make sustainable choices more attractive and accessible, emphasizing that a shared vision of an attractive sustainable society is essential for meaningful climate action.
