Comparing Apples and Pears. An experimental study of how awareness about climate change and ocean acidification affect people's propensity to support an increase of the Swedish CO2-tax
Short description
In numerous studies (mainly survey studies) a correlation between environmental knowledge/awareness and pro-environmental behaviour/ acceptance of policy measures has been demonstrated. The climate change problem is well researched in this regard. Thus, it is typically argued that climate change awareness lead to more positive attitudes towards policies such as a CO2-tax. However, 1) far less is known about the relationship between awareness of ocean acidification and willingness to support/accept a CO2-tax aimed at mitigating CO2-emissions (contributing to OA), 2) even less is known about potential reinforcing effects if people are aware of both CC and OA (highly related problems since CO2-emissions are stressing them both) and 3) since mainly survey studies are being used in this research, we know basically nothing about the causality.
Research questions
1) Are there systematic differences in people’s awareness about climate change and ocean acidification?
2) Can these differences explain variation in peoples’ acceptance of an increased CO2-tax?
3) If awareness about both problems, does that affect the overall level of acceptance?
Design
Questions (to be asked in LORE)
1) Knowledge questions about OA and CC, e.g.:
a. Aware at all?
b. Agree that X affect CC/OA?
c. Agree that Y can counteract/mitigate CC/OA?
2) Framing:
• Group 1, info about CC (e.g., causes/consequenses – both?)
• Group 2, info about OA (causes/consequenses – both?)
• Group 3, info both about CC och OA (causes/consequenses – both?)
• Grupp 4, no stimuli/framing
3) Acceptance of an increased CO2-tax
a. Standard questions from previous research, and/or:
b. Potentially ask about several policy measures either to build a broader policy index, or if we wish to write several papers on the same theme?
4) Controls
• Gender
• Age
• Ideology
• Income
• Level of education
• Political interest
Researchers (länkas till nya katalogen)
Sverker Jagers, Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, Leif Anderson, Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Sam Dupont, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg and Simon Matti, Political Science Unit, Luleå University.