Heat waves, droughts, and preferences for environmental policy

Owen, Ann L. and Conover, Emily and Videras, Julio and Wu, Stephen (2010): Heat waves, droughts, and preferences for environmental policy.

Abstract

Using data from a new household survey on environmental attitudes, behaviors, and policy preferences, we find that current weather conditions affect preferences for environmental regulation. Individuals who have recently experienced extreme weather (heat waves or droughts) are more likely to support laws to protect the environment even if it means restricting individual freedoms. We find evidence that the channel through which weather conditions affect policy preference is via perceptions of the importance of the issue of global warming. Furthermore, individuals who may be more sophisticated consumers of news are less likely to have their attitudes towards global warming changed by current weather conditions.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: environmental regulation; global warming; environmental attitudes
• Subjects: D - Microeconomics > D0 - General > D03 - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q5 - Environmental Economics > Q58 - Government Policy

References

Dubin, Jeffrey A., D. Roderick Kiewiet, and Charles Noussair, 1992, “Voting on growth control measures: Preferences and strategies,” Economics and Politics 4(2): 191-213.

Halbheer, Daniel, Sarah Niggli, and Armin Schmutzler, 2006, “What does it take to sell environmental policy? An empirical analysis of referendum data,” Environmental and Resource Economics 33: 441-462.

Kahn, Matthew E. and John G. Matsusaka, 1997, “Demand for environmental goods: Evidence from voting patterns on California initiatives,” Journal of Law and Economics 40(1): 137-173.

Kohut, Andrew, Keeter, Scott, Doherty, Carol, Dimock, Michael, & Remez, Michael. (2009, October 22). Fewer Americans see solid evidence of global warming. Retrieved from http://people-press.org/report/556/global-warming

Konisky, David M., Jeffrey Milyo and Lilliard E. Richardson, Jr., 2008, “Environmental policy attitudes: Issues, geographical scale, and political trust,” Social Science Quarterly, 89: 1066-85.

Lee, Jaeseung J. and Trudy A. Cameron, “Popular support for climate change mitigation: Evidence from a general population mail survey,” Environmental and Resource Economics 42: 223-248.

Matsusaka, John G., 1992, “The economics of direct legislation,” The Quarterly Journal of Economics 107(2): 541-571.

Newport, Frank. (2010, March 11). Americans' global warming concerns continue to drop. Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/poll/126560/Americans-Global-Warming-Concerns-Continue-Drop.aspx?CSTS=alert

Owen, Ann L., Videras, Julio R. and Wu, Stephen, forthcoming, “More information isn’t always better: the case of voluntary provision of environmental quality,” Economic Inquiry, forthcoming.

Pew Research Center. (2008, March 20). Fewer voters identify as republicans. Retrieved from http://pewresearch.org/pubs/773/fewer-voters-identify-as-republicans

Purcell, Kristen, Rainie, Lee, Mitchell, Amy, Rosenstiel, Tom, & Olmstead, Kenny. (2010, March). How Internet and cell phone users have turned news into a social experience. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Online-News.aspx

Reis, Ricardo, 2006a, “Inattentive consumers,” Journal of Monetary Economics 53(8): 1761-1800.

Reis, Ricardo, 2006b, “Inattentive producers,” Review of Economic Studies 73(3): 793-821.

Slovic, Paul, 1987, “Perception of risk,” Science, 236(4799): 280-285.

Talton, John. (2009, July 30). Heat wave: burning questions about what this week bodes for seattle's future. Retrieved from http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundeconomywithjontalton/2009570127_heat_wave_burning_questions_ab.html

Viscusi, W. Kip, 1993, “The value of risks to life and health,” Journal of Economic Literature 31(3): 1912-1946.

Viscusi, W. Kip, 2009, “Valuing risks of death from terrorism and natural disasters,” Journal of Risk and Uncertainty 38(3): 191-213.