Preferences for climate change-related fiscal policies in European countries: drivers and seasonal effects

Abstract

AbstractWe investigate drivers of preferences for policies of climate change mitigation using the European Social Survey. We find that the share of individuals who agree on (bonus/malus) potentially balanced budget policies that tax fossil fuels and subsidize renewable energies is much less than those who agree only on subsidizing renewable energies. Low levels of education and income are significantly and negatively correlated with the probability of being part of the group of tax-and-subsidy advocates. We also find evidence of a strong seasonal effect, with a significantly higher share of support for the tax-and-subsidy policy being present when interviews are conducted during the hottest months of the year. We discuss the implications of our findings in terms of politically feasible climate change policies.