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The permissibility of nudging for sustainable energy consumption

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  • Kasperbauer, T.J.

Abstract

Nudges modify decision frameworks in order to steer people's choices in particular directions. Modifying energy consumption choices through nudging has shown significant promise for promoting sustainable consumption behaviors. However, policy makers have been reluctant to embrace nudges, due to concerns over potential ethical objections. This paper argues that the major ethical objections to nudging are not ultimately convincing when applied to energy production and consumption. The most common ethical objections claim that nudging is paternalistic and reduces human autonomy. It is argued here that energy production and consumption are “massively architectured,” which means that they are strongly influenced by factors external to individuals. The infrastructure and framework for producing and consuming energy is largely determined prior to human decision-making. As a result, it is not clear how nudging for sustainable energy consumption could be paternalistic or autonomy-reducing. Ethical objections should thus not be a deterrent for policy makers pursuing nudges for sustainable energy consumption.

Suggested Citation

  • Kasperbauer, T.J., 2017. "The permissibility of nudging for sustainable energy consumption," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 52-57.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:111:y:2017:i:c:p:52-57
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2017.09.015
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    5. Rafi M. M. I. Chowdhury, 2022. "The ethics of nudging: Using moral foundations theory to understand consumers' approval of nudges," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(2), pages 703-742, June.
    6. von Zahn, Moritz & Bauer, Kevin & Mihale-Wilson, Cristina & Jagow, Johanna & Speicher, Max & Hinz, Oliver, 2022. "The smart green nudge: Reducing product returns through enriched digital footprints & causal machine learning," SAFE Working Paper Series 363, Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE, revised 2022.
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    9. Cardona, M & Gallego, J & Garcia, J & Franco, J, 2020. "Prepaid electricity and in-home displays: an alternative for the most vulnerable households in Colombia," Documentos de trabajo - Alianza EFI 18990, Alianza EFI.
    10. Buckley, Penelope & Llerena, Daniel, 2022. "Nudges and peak pricing: A common pool resource energy conservation experiment," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
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