Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/237346 
Year of Publication: 
2021
Series/Report no.: 
ECONtribute Discussion Paper No. 101
Publisher: 
University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Reinhard Selten Institute (RSI), Bonn and Cologne
Abstract: 
We document individual willingness to fight climate change and its behavioral determinants in a large representative sample of US adults. Willingness to fight climate change - as measured through an incentivized donation decision - is highly heterogeneous across the population. Individual beliefs about social norms, economic preferences such as patience and altruism, as well as universal moral values positively predict climate preferences. Moreover, we document systematic misperceptions of prevalent social norms. Respondents vastly underestimate the prevalence of climate- friendly behaviors and norms among their fellow citizens. Providing respondents with correct information causally raises individual willingness to fight climate change as well as individual support for climate policies. The effects are strongest for individuals who are skeptical about the existence and threat of global warming.
Subjects: 
Climate change
climate behavior
climate policies
social norms
economic preferences
moral values
beliefs
survey experiments
JEL: 
D64
D83
D91
Q51
Z13
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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