‘Stop thinking of yourself as an individual’: Pip Wheaton on mobilising people for climate action
In episode 40 of The Decarbonisation Dialogue, the New Zealand-based social entrepreneur shares why the biggest barrier to climate progress is not science - but agency.
Social entrepreneur Pip Wheaton says tackling climate change requires more than science and technology - it requires helping people feel they have the power to act.
Speaking from New Zealand on episode 40 of The Decarbonisation Dialogue podcast, Pip describes herself as a “perpetual questioner” and an aspiring systems changer whose work focuses on supporting climate innovators and understanding what makes effective climate strategy.
Now based in Wellington, Pip works both locally in New Zealand and globally, helping climate changemakers develop ventures while researching the strategies that enable meaningful action. Her work is grounded in systems theory and what she describes as a “fierce sense of justice.”
But her path into climate work began much earlier, growing up in rural Australia.
She says: “If I were to trace back the roots of how I found myself concerned about climate change; it really goes back to the very early days.
“I grew up in a very rural part of Australia on a farm, where the seasons determined the shape of our year and the weather determined the shape of our days.”
Surrounded by wildlife, including koalas and other native animals, Pip says she developed a deep connection with the natural world.
“When I first heard about this concept of climate change, I think I was primed to have a visceral reaction to the level of precarity it was going to bring,” she says.
“We knew we couldn’t control the seasons, and yet they determined whether we could grow a crop on our farm.”
Pip went on to study climate change at university, although could not find a job in climate change.
After repeated rejections, Pip took what she calls a “long detour”, working across a wide range of sectors including social entrepreneurship, local government, academia and philanthropy in Australia, South Africa and the UK.
Joining the changemakers – strategies for change
It was only years later, after the birth of her first child, that she returned to the issue.
“I found myself looking at it head-on again and thinking, this is still urgent,” she says. “Twenty-odd years later maybe the experts need some help. How do people who aren’t experts get involved?”
That question has shaped much of her work since.
Pip has worked with global social entrepreneurship network Ashoka, where she has helped explore how the organisation’s community of system-changing entrepreneurs could contribute to climate solutions.
Through conversations with climate leaders around the world, from grassroots community groups to Fortune 500 companies, she and colleagues identified common strategies used by effective changemakers.
“What we realised is that the science isn’t the limiting factor anymore,” she says. “The question is how much agency people feel to bring their knowledge, resources and energy to the challenge.”
Working with the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, the research identified three core strategies used by climate-focused social entrepreneurs.
What we realised is that the science isn’t the limiting factor anymore
The question is how much agency people feel to bring their knowledge, resources and energy to the challenge.
Removing the structural barriers
The first is making climate change personal.
Pip tells us: “People care about climate change, but unless you connect it to the things they love, their children, the places they care about, future generations, it can feel too overwhelming.”
The second is building support systems, such as mentoring or peer networks.
“Creating change is hard. If we try to do it alone, it’s close to impossible.”
The third strategy focuses on transforming systems by addressing structural barriers that prevent action.
“Sometimes the context is the thing that gets in the way. Even with motivation and support, practical blockers can stop progress.”
Navigating the disagreements over the climate discussion
Pip emphasises the importance of curiosity in navigating disagreements about climate change. However, rather than responding defensively to opposing views, she says she tries to ask questions.
“If someone says they don’t believe climate change is a thing, instead of going into defensive mode I try to say: ‘I’m really curious, why do you say that?’”
That approach, she argues, can help uncover shared values.
“At the deepest level, our values are far more commonly held than they appear on the surface. If we stay curious, we’re more likely to find common ground and build solutions from there.”
When it comes to engaging the public, Pip points to research from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, which categorises people according to their attitudes toward climate change.
The findings suggest that only a small percentage of people are firmly dismissive, while a much larger “movable middle” is open to new information and engagement.
“The recommendation is not to spend all your energy arguing with the small group who are dismissive. There’s far more benefit in working with the people in the middle who are open to change.”
She also believes apparent scepticism can sometimes mask a deeper sense of overwhelm.
“For many people it’s not a lack of concern. It’s a psychological defence mechanism - looking at climate change head-on while feeling like there’s nothing you can do can be incredibly anxiety-inducing.”
Highlighting positive developments, such as progress in renewable energy, can help counter that sense of helplessness, she added. “There are so many wins and so much progress that people don’t always see.”
Pips believes the most powerful message may be that climate action is not an individual task. She points to advice from environmentalist Bill McKibben.
“He says when people ask what the best thing they can do as an individual is, his answer is: first, stop thinking of yourself as an individual.
“I find that incredibly motivating. It reminds me I don’t have to do everything. I just need to do my piece - and do it as well and as joyfully as I can.”
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