COP30 makes individual climate actions seem small. That's why experts say to work in groups

Global leaders are gathering to discuss how to limit climate change at COP30 in Brazil. Meanwhile, the rest of us may feel that we have very little influence over how decision-makers shape policy with wide-ranging effects on the planet.

But “very little” is not “nothing.” Joining others in community-based actions can have a far larger impact than one person can have alone.

“Rather than acting as an individual by yourself trying to make yourself as small as possible, (you can) join with others to try to make your impact as big as possible," said Leah Stokes, environmental politics and public policy professor at University of California, Santa Barbara.

Community action takes different forms. The most effective option depends on what kind of change you're trying to accomplish. Here are thr