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Climate change: Information, beliefs and action. Can new information affect Swedes’ climate change mitigation efforts?

Kihlstedt, Martin LU (2022) NEKH01 20212
Department of Economics
Abstract
Due to the steep requirements of the 1.5°C goal, there is an urgent need to better understand what measures can be used to strengthen climate mitigation efforts. This study illuminates which factors drive climate mitigation efforts in the Swedish public and how such efforts are affected by new information. Using data gathered in an online survey experiment (n=372), this study finds that a wide range of factors predict Swedes’ climate mitigation efforts, measured as climate policy support and self estimated “willingness to sacrifice more for the climate”. Beliefs about Sweden’s current emissions and social norms positively predict climate mitigation efforts along with other beliefs such as altruism and universalism. Mainly, it finds that... (More)
Due to the steep requirements of the 1.5°C goal, there is an urgent need to better understand what measures can be used to strengthen climate mitigation efforts. This study illuminates which factors drive climate mitigation efforts in the Swedish public and how such efforts are affected by new information. Using data gathered in an online survey experiment (n=372), this study finds that a wide range of factors predict Swedes’ climate mitigation efforts, measured as climate policy support and self estimated “willingness to sacrifice more for the climate”. Beliefs about Sweden’s current emissions and social norms positively predict climate mitigation efforts along with other beliefs such as altruism and universalism. Mainly, it finds that the impact of correcting misperceptions with information about either Sweden’s emissions or social norms, is both varied and limited. Information about Sweden’s emissions has a negative impact on climate policy support. The negative effect is not fully explained by perceiving the information as lacking in credibility. Information about social norms has no significant impact on policy support but a positive impact on willingness to sacrifice more. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Kihlstedt, Martin LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
Klimatförändringarna: Information, uppfattningar och handling. Kan ny information påverka svenskars vilja att vidta klimatåtgärder?
course
NEKH01 20212
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Climate change, information provision experiment, beliefs, action, climate behavior, social norms, climate policy, survey experiment, information deficit, Sweden
language
English
id
9075509
date added to LUP
2022-02-22 11:22:35
date last changed
2022-02-22 11:22:35
@misc{9075509,
  abstract     = {{Due to the steep requirements of the 1.5°C goal, there is an urgent need to better understand what measures can be used to strengthen climate mitigation efforts. This study illuminates which factors drive climate mitigation efforts in the Swedish public and how such efforts are affected by new information. Using data gathered in an online survey experiment (n=372), this study finds that a wide range of factors predict Swedes’ climate mitigation efforts, measured as climate policy support and self estimated “willingness to sacrifice more for the climate”. Beliefs about Sweden’s current emissions and social norms positively predict climate mitigation efforts along with other beliefs such as altruism and universalism. Mainly, it finds that the impact of correcting misperceptions with information about either Sweden’s emissions or social norms, is both varied and limited. Information about Sweden’s emissions has a negative impact on climate policy support. The negative effect is not fully explained by perceiving the information as lacking in credibility. Information about social norms has no significant impact on policy support but a positive impact on willingness to sacrifice more.}},
  author       = {{Kihlstedt, Martin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Climate change: Information, beliefs and action. Can new information affect Swedes’ climate change mitigation efforts?}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}