Background:  Traditional sustainability models have focused on technological advancements, economic incentives, and policy regulations to drive environmental responsibility. However, climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecological degradation continue to worsen, highlighting the limitations of policy-driven approaches.  Research suggests that human psychology significantly influences sustainability adoption, yet cognitive biases, eco-anxiety, and social influences remain underexplored in environmental policies.  A paradigm shift is needed—one that integrates behavioural science, cognitive psychology, and social reinforcement into sustainability frameworks to bridge the gap between awareness and action. 

Objective: This study examines the role of human psychology in environmental stewardship and proposes a behaviourally informed sustainability paradigm.  It explores cognitive and emotional factors that influence sustainability decision-making, identifies psychological barriers and motivators, and presents evidence-based behavioural interventions to enhance engagement. The study further introduces a human-centered sustainability framework, prioritizing intrinsic motivation, social norms, and behavioural nudging over traditional external enforcement mechanisms. 

Methodology:  This study employs a traditional literature review approach, synthesizing insights from behavioural science, cognitive psychology, and environmental studies. A qualitative narrative synthesis was conducted, analyzing peer-reviewed literature and theoretical frameworks on cognitive biases, eco-anxiety, and social norm interventions in sustainability behaviour. 

Results:  Findings reveal that cognitive biases (status quo bias, present bias, optimism bias) create a disconnect between awareness and action, while eco-anxiety can either motivate or discourage engagement. Social norms and peer influence significantly impact sustainability choices, with community-based interventions and behavioural nudging proving more effective than policy enforcement. 

Conclusion: The study identifies three key pillars for a behaviourally informed sustainability paradigm: integrating cognitive and emotional insights into policies, leveraging peer influence and community-driven initiatives, and designing behavioural nudges that make sustainability effortless. By embedding psychology into sustainability frameworks, this study provides a comprehensive model for fostering long-term environmental responsibility.