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Browsing by Subject "pro-environmental behaviour"

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  • Effects of wealth on environmental contributions 
    Vainikka, Assi (2023)
    This study examines the relationship between wealth and environmental contributions at individual and country levels by using survey data from EVS, WVS and ISSP and panel data from OECD. For the analysis I use correlation tests, and in the case of panel data, pooled OLS regression and two-way fixed effects regression, and with survey data I use OLS regression and generalized ordered logit model. The aim of this study is to clarify if wealthier countries or individuals contribute more to environment than countries and individuals with lower wealth. Environmental contributions at country level are measured as environmental policy stringency, environmental protection expenditure and environmentally related tax revenues. At individual level environmental contributions are measured as willingness to pay for environmental protection. At country level a positive relationship between wealth and environmental contributions is found, but in individual level the relationship is weak. Also relationship between national wealth and individual willingness to pay is minor. On average individuals willingness to pay for environmental protection stayed standard regardless of wealth, but some differences in averages can be seen comparing the results of different surveys. Results suggests that in wealthier countries the environmental policy is more strict and environmental protection expenditure can be expect to be higher than in lower GDP per capita level countries. The relationship between wealth and environmentally related tax revenues differs from other two variables, because tax base for environmentally related taxes change whit economic development. Previous literature offers inconclusive findings and comprehensive theoretical framework is difficult to form. One of the biggest challenges of this study is the sparseness of suitable and comparable data and thus, results have to be interpreted with caution.
  • The Association between Climate Worry and Becoming a Parent 
    Kurki, Terhi (2024)
    Prior research has shown that climate worry is related to fertility preferences, yet the research on the association between climate worry and the actual fertility in Western countries is scarce. The objective of this study was to examine the association between climate worry and the likelihood of becoming a parent utilizing nationally representative longitudinal data from Germany. In addition, the role of neuroticism and the interaction between education and climate worry in the association between climate worry and the likelihood of becoming a parent were analysed separately. The data comprised n=34,523 observation from n=10,463 participants, derived 2009-2019 from a German, nationally representative and broad panel survey (SOEP). Cox-regression was utilized to analyse the likelihood of becoming a parent over time, with the level of climate worry as a predictor. Control variables included gender, partnership status, region of Germany, and education. Neuroticism and the interaction term between education and climate worry were added as independent variables in separate models. The analysis was conducted separately for the overall sample, men, and women. Moreover, the interaction between climate worry and gender was examined. According to the results, the individuals who were very worried about the consequences of climate change were 16% less likely to have their first child compared to those who were not worried about them. Adding the level of neuroticism to the model did not affect the association. However, education appears to moderate the association between climate worry and becoming a parent, with the likelihood of becoming a parent being higher among those worried participants who had above high school education. The results showed some evidence that the association between climate worry and becoming a parent may be stronger among women than men. This study showed that climate worry is related to the actual likelihood of having a child, in addition to fertility preferences. In line with the theory of planned behaviour and the narrative framework, climate worry is shaping future narratives. These narratives form a basis for beliefs related to having a child which affect fertility intentions and, eventually, the actual fertility. Higher education appeared to enable creating and maintaining optimistic future narratives regardless of climate worry. From this perspective, the decision to remain childless due to severe climate worry can be understood as a form of “eco-paralysis” rather than adaptive pro-environmental behaviour.

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