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Public opinion about climate policies: A review and call for more studies of what people want

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  • Malcolm Fairbrother

Abstract

Around the world, most people are aware of the problem of climate change, believe it is anthropogenic, and feel concerned about its potential consequences. What they think should be done about the problem, however, is less clear. Particularly due to widespread support among policy experts for putting a price on greenhouse gas emissions, more studies have investigated public attitudes towards carbon taxes than any other type of policy. Such studies have found substantial public opposition to carbon taxes, largely due to political distrust, though also some evidence that careful design and messaging can mitigate people’s skepticism. Surprisingly few studies have investigated attitudes towards other climate policies, and there is an urgent need for more research about what—given their beliefs about the nature and severity of the problem—people would like to see their governments doing. This is especially the case for residents of lower-income and/or non-Western nations.

Suggested Citation

  • Malcolm Fairbrother, 2022. "Public opinion about climate policies: A review and call for more studies of what people want," PLOS Climate, Public Library of Science, vol. 1(5), pages 1-14, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pclm00:0000030
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000030
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Joakim Kulin & Ingemar Johansson Sevä, 2024. "Rightwing populist attitudes and public support for climate policies in Western Europe: Widening the scope using the European Social Survey," PLOS Climate, Public Library of Science, vol. 3(10), pages 1-21, October.
    3. Monica Prasad, 2023. "A carbon tax by any other name: Public benefit funds in the American states," PLOS Climate, Public Library of Science, vol. 2(2), pages 1-12, February.

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