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The economics of green consumption, cultural transmission and sustainable technological change

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  • Bezin, Emeline

Abstract

A model which formalizes the interplay between green consumer culture and sustainable technology is used to revisit the trade-off between economic growth and environmental preservation. The theory includes (i) green preferences formed through cultural transmission which involves rational socialization actions, (ii) innovation endogenously directed to sustainable or unsustainable sectors depending on culture through market size effects. The model captures an important feature of sustainable innovation processes which is the existence of path dependency. The approach allows to examine implications for both market-based instruments (i.e., environmental taxes) and non-monetary interventions (i.e., environmental education). The two types of policies are either complements or substitutes depending on the substitutability between clean and dirty goods. Finally, an important disregarded issue is examined: the political sustainability of environmental taxes.

Suggested Citation

  • Bezin, Emeline, 2019. "The economics of green consumption, cultural transmission and sustainable technological change," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 497-546.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jetheo:v:181:y:2019:i:c:p:497-546
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jet.2019.03.005
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    Cited by:

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    2. Bezin, Emeline & Ponthière, Gregory, 2019. "The tragedy of the commons and socialization: Theory and policy," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
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    5. Yaliu Yang & Yuan Wang & Cui Wang & Yingyan Zhang & Cuixia Zhang, 2022. "Temporal and Spatial Evolution of the Science and Technology Innovative Efficiency of Regional Industrial Enterprises: A Data-Driven Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-21, August.
    6. Ambec, Stefan & De Donder, Philippe, 2022. "Environmental policy with green consumerism," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    7. Liwen Chen & Bobby W. Chung & Guanghua Wang, 2023. "Stay-at-Home Peer Mothers and Gender Norms: Short-run Effects on Educational Outcomes," Working Papers 2023-03, University of South Florida, Department of Economics.
    8. Jinyan Peng & Kai Li & Yingpeng Gao, 2022. "How the Internet Affects China’s Green Consumption Development: Empirical Research Based on Baidu Index Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-16, December.
    9. Liwen Chen & Bobby Chung & Guanghua Wang, 2022. "Stay-at-Home Peer Mothers and Gender Norms: Short-run Effects on Educational Outcomes," Working Papers 2022-039, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    10. Han, Fei & Zhou, Jiehong & Yan, Zhen & Yin, Shijiu, 2022. "Nudge to be Green? The Influence of Social Comparison on Consumers' Consumption Behaviors: A Case Study of Green Takeaway Packaging," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322228, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Green consumption; Cultural transmission; Directed technological change; Environmental taxes;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods

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