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Creating Climate Coalitions: Mass Preferences for Compensating Vulnerability in the World’s Two Largest Democracies

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  • GAIKWAD, NIKHAR
  • GENOVESE, FEDERICA
  • TINGLEY, DUSTIN

Abstract

Combating climate change requires large economic adjustments with significant distributional implications. To build coalitions of support, scholars and policy makers propose compensating individuals who will bear decarbonization’s costs. What are the determinants of public opinion regarding climate compensation and investment? We theorize that climate policy vulnerability and climate change vulnerability induce support for distinct types of climate policy. Fielding original surveys in the United States and India, we show that people who reside in coal-producing regions prefer compensation for lost jobs. The general public privileges diffuse redistribution mechanisms and investments, discounting compensation to targeted groups. Those who are both physically and economically vulnerable have cross-cutting preferences. Nevertheless, there is considerable support across our samples for policies that compensate different coalitions of climate-vulnerable citizens, in line with theories of “just energy” transition and embedded liberalism. We trace the distinctive compensatory preferences of fossil fuel communities to a logic of shared community identities.

Suggested Citation

  • Gaikwad, Nikhar & Genovese, Federica & Tingley, Dustin, 2022. "Creating Climate Coalitions: Mass Preferences for Compensating Vulnerability in the World’s Two Largest Democracies," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 116(4), pages 1165-1183, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:116:y:2022:i:4:p:1165-1183_2
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    1. repec:osf:osfxxx:8cquz_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Kristian Kongshøj, 2023. "Social policy in a future of degrowth? Challenges for decommodification, commoning and public support," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Matthew H. Goldberg & Jagadish Thaker & Eric G. Scheuch & Laura Thomas-Walters & Seth A. Rosenthal & Anthony Leiserowitz, 2025. "Understanding the policy features that affect Indians' support for India's 2070 net-zero goal," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(2), pages 1-17, February.
    4. Réka Juhász & Nathan Lane, 2024. "The Political Economy of Industrial Policy," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 38(4), pages 27-54, Fall.
    5. Stutzmann, Sophia, 2024. "The electoral consequences of the coal phase-out in Germany," Working Papers 26, University of Konstanz, Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality. Perceptions, Participation and Policies".
    6. Beiser-McGrath, Liam & Bernauer, Thomas, 2024. "How do pocketbook and distributional concerns affect citizens’ preferences for carbon taxation?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 120995, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    7. Valentina Bosetti & Italo Colantone & Catherine E. De Vries & Giorgio Musto, 2025. "Green Backlash and Right-Wing Populism," GREEN Working Papers 26, GREEN, Centre for Research on Geography, Resources, Environment, Energy & Networks, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.
    8. Nthabiseng Mohlakoana & Muhammed Lokhat & Nives Dolšak & Aseem Prakash, 2023. "Varieties of just transition: Public support in South Africa’s Mpumalanga coal community for different policy options," PLOS Climate, Public Library of Science, vol. 2(5), pages 1-17, May.
    9. Gabor, Daniela & Braun, Benjamin, 2023. "Green macrofinancial regimes," SocArXiv 4pkv8, Center for Open Science.
    10. Schaffer, Lena Maria & Magyar, Zsuzsanna, 2023. "Comparative Energy Transition Policy: How Exposure, Policy Vulnerability and Trust affect Popular Acceptance of Policy Expansion," OSF Preprints 8cquz, Center for Open Science.
    11. Beacham, Austin, 2025. "Green Backlash and Its Consequences for Democracy and Policy," Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, Working Paper Series qt7j69m600, Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, University of California.

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