Make citizens or businesses that do not abide by environmental laws or regulations accountable by publicly condemning them for their actions.

Social pressure can nudge people into changing their behaviour. Making disapproved behaviours visible to the public increases the 'social cost' of performing them. Although this technique can effectively encourage your target audience to comply with environmental laws or regulations, use it with caution as it can backfire and further strengthen their position.

For example, authorities can encourage citizens to switch to electric vehicles by requiring car manufacturers to add a permanent sticker on new petrol and diesel cars' windscreens that signals to others that they are highly polluting.

In your communications, emphasise what citizens or businesses risk losing if they do not comply with pro-environmental laws or rules.

People tend to be strongly loss averse. In other words, they are more sensitive to potential losses than to possible gains. By drawing people's attention to what they might lose, you can encourage them to comply with your policy.

For example, informing building managers about the potential losses they can incur if they fail to meet energy efficiency standards (e.g., monetary fines; losing access to benefits) can be more effective than highlighting the benefits building managers can earn if they comply (e.g., better credit rating; appealing image).

Make it visible to the public that citizens or businesses that have violated environmental laws or rules have been penalised.

Individuals tend to estimate the likelihood that a given event will happen based on how easily it comes to mind. Think about how you can make it easier for people to recall past cases where authorities successfully sanctioned offenders. Doing so will help people believe laws and regulations are enforced effectively and prompt them to comply.

For example, authorities can encourage businesses to comply with environmental laws and rules by informing them about the sum of money they collected from fines issued to offenders.

Encourage citizens or businesses to comply with environmental laws and rules by framing the act of non-complying as an active choice.

People can often fail to adhere to a new law or regulation by passively sticking to their current course of action. Violating a law by inaction is often perceived as more acceptable than actively refusing to comply. To increase compliance, inform citizens or businesses that their failure to adhere to the law will be considered as an active choice and prompt them to consider the consequences of their actions.

For example, failing to install appliances that meet energy-efficiency standards can be framed in communications as actively choosing to violate guidelines, to spend more money on energy bills, and to emit more greenhouse gas emissions.

If a minority of citizens or businesses disregard environmental laws or rules, encourage them to comply by highlighting that the majority adheres to the laws and regulations.

People are strongly influenced by what others do and think and tend to conform to the social norm. However, they often have an incomplete and sometimes misleading view of what others do or think. Informing people about the social norm can help them readjust and align their thoughts and behaviours with that of the majority. This approach can be particularly effective if you use a reference group that your target audience considers relatable.

For example, if businesses in the catering industry are required to adhere to new environmental standards, inform those that are not compliant that most businesses do follow the regulations. Suppose that you are targeting coffee shops in Leeds specifically. In that case, communicating that "85% of coffee shops in Leeds adhere to new environmental standards'' is likely to be more effective than saying "85% of businesses adhere to new environmental standards."