The private solution trap in collective action problems across 34 nations
Eugene Malthouse et al.
,
12
(
123
)
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)
March
2026
Abstract
Collective action problems emerge when individual incentives and group interests are misaligned, as in the case of climate change. Individuals involved in these problems are generally considered to have two options: contribute toward public solutions such as global warming mitigation or free ride. However, many collective action problems today involve a third option of investing in a “private solution” such as local adaptation.