Combating environmental degradation requires global cooperation. This paper argues that institutional designs for such efforts must account for human behavior. Using the Titanic as an analogous case, behavioral insights identify critical aspects of human behavior that hinder or aid environmental action. The authors identify public goods—standards and best practices, large-scale coordination mechanisms, and information curation—that can mitigate negative behaviors and leverage positive ones. Existing international organizations are analyzed as case studies, revealing institutional design features adaptable for more effective global environmental protection.

Therese Lindahl, John M. Anderies, Anne-Sophie Crépin, Krisztina Jónás, Caroline Schill, Juan Camilo Cárdenas, Carl Folke, Gert Jan Hofstede, Marco A. Janssen, Jean-Denis Mathias, Stephen Polasky