Culture and household carbon emissions: Evidence from China

Consumer carbon emissions constitute a significant portion of global carbon emissions, making them crucial in combating climate change. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) Survey, we find that Confucian culture is negatively associated with household carbon emissions, especially those related to housing, food, and clothing. This relationship remains robust to instrumental variable tests and multiple robustness checks. We further show that Confucian culture reduces household carbon emissions primarily by enhancing environmental pollution awareness and fostering green innovation in products. Additionally, we demonstrate that the effect is more pronounced in regions with limited foreign influence and internet access, and in rural areas. Moreover, we find that Confucian culture and environmental regulation interact complementarily in reducing household emissions. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of integrating the cultural factor into environmental policy formulation, emphasizing the potential of cultural influences to strengthen consumer engagement in combating climate change.