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Climate obligations and social norms

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  • Stephanie Collins

Abstract

Many governments are failing to act sufficiently strongly on climate change. Given this, what should motivated affluent individuals in high-consumption societies do? This paper argues that social norms are a particularly valuable target for individual climate action. Within norm-promotion, the paper makes the case for a focus on anti-fossil fuel norms specifically. Section 1 outlines gaps in the existing literature on individuals’ climate change obligations. Section 2 characterises social norms. Section 3 provides seven reasons why social norms are a particularly worthy target for individual climate actors. Section 4 asks which social norms individuals should emphasise, arguing that anti-fossil fuel norms have advantages over emissions reduction and offsetting norms. Section 5 outlines the pathways and mechanisms individuals might exploit to promote anti-fossil fuel norms.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephanie Collins, 2023. "Climate obligations and social norms," Politics, Philosophy & Economics, , vol. 22(2), pages 103-125, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:pophec:v:22:y:2023:i:2:p:103-125
    DOI: 10.1177/1470594X231156930
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    References listed on IDEAS

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