Climate change, consumerism, and the decline of biodiversity may indicate a disruption of the fragile balance of nature and the onset of a systemic ecological crisis. Environmental degradation is forcing the search for new patterns in the relations between humans and the natural environment. Based on the analysis of scientific discourses on the societal dimension of crisis and development concepts, the article examines the role of environmental identity in anti-crisis management. A large number of studies are devoted to the analysis of its nature, methods of formation and measurement, but the potential of the category itself as a way to solve practical problems remains understudied. The importance of examining environmental identity in political science is determined by its explanatory potential of the political process around environmental issues. The article shows that the formation of individual environmental identity and the consistent transition from cognitive to active component contributes to the emergence of group environmental identity, which may subsequently acquire a politicized form. While collective politicized identity has a direct influence on the decision-making process, environmental identity acts as a self-regulator of individual behavior. Whereas pro-environmental behavior reduces environmental burdens, which can further contribute to resolving the crisis and/or mitigating its consequences.