The study by Airoldi and Christakis shows that we can use social networks (the connections between people in a community) to spread good ideas and practices more effectively. They found that if we choose the right people to start with – those who are well-connected and influential – the information and behaviors can spread much faster and reach more people than if we choose people randomly. This offers valuable insights into how we can harness the power of social networks to promote inclusiveness, foster partnerships, and enhance the effectiveness of our interventions. By understanding how social networks work and using them strategically, we can empower local communities to take action on climate change, make our interventions more inclusive and effective, and ultimately build a more resilient future for all. The main idea is that by choosing the “seeds” based on their friends (bottom picture), rather than just randomly (top picture), we can spread new ideas and practices to more people in the village. People are more likely to learn from and copy their friends. So, the bottom approach, called “friendship-nomination targeting,” is a more effective way to create “social contagion” – the spread of ideas and behaviors through social networks.
Bapon (SHM) Fakhruddin, PhD
Water and Climate Leader| Strategic Investment Partnerships and Co-Investments| Professor| EW4ALL| Board Member| Chair- CODATA TG| Award Winner (SDG 2021, EWS 2025)
Harnessing the Power of Social Networks for Inclusive and Effective Climate Action!
Bapon (SHM) Fakhruddin, PhD 