Working Paper: NBER ID: w30265
Authors: Antoine Dechezleprêtre; Adrien Fabre; Tobias Kruse; Bluebery Planterose; Ana Sanchez Chico; Stefanie Stantcheva
Abstract: This paper explores global perceptions and understanding of climate change and policies, examining factors that influence support for climate action and the impact of different types of information. We conduct large-scale surveys with 40,000 respondents from 20 countries, providing new international data on attitudes towards climate change and respondents’ socioeconomic backgrounds and lifestyles. We identify three key perceptions affecting policy support: perceived effectiveness of policies in reducing emissions, their impact on low-income households, and their effect on respondents’ households (self-interest). Educational videos clarifying policy mechanisms increase support for climate policies; those merely highlighting climate change’s impacts do not.
Keywords: climate change; climate policies; public attitudes; policy support
JEL Codes: D78; H23; P48; Q54; Q58
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| type of information provided (L86) | support for climate policies (Q58) |
| perceived effectiveness of policies (D78) | support for climate policies (Q58) |
| concerns about inequality impacts (F63) | support for climate policies (Q58) |
| perceived economic impact on own households (D12) | support for climate policies (Q58) |
| understanding of how policies function (D78) | support for climate policies (Q58) |
| information regarding distributional implications (D39) | support for climate policies (Q58) |
| concerns about climate change (Q54) | support for climate policies (Q58) |