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on Resource Economics |
| By: | Pol Campos-Mercade (Department of Economics, Lund University); Claes Ek (Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg); Magnus Soederberg (Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics, Griffith University); Florian H. Schneider (Department of Economics, University of Copenhagen) |
| Abstract: | Standard economic theory assumes that consumers ignore the externalities they create, such as emissions from burning fossil fuels and generating waste. In an incentivized study (N = 3, 718), we find that most people forgo substantial gains to avoid imposing negative externalities on others. Using administrative data on household waste, we show a clear link between such prosociality and waste behavior: prosociality predicts lower residual waste generation and higher waste sorting. Prosociality also predicts survey-reported pro-environmental behaviors such as lowering indoor temperature, limiting air travel, and consuming eco-friendly products. These findings highlight the importance of considering social preferences in environmental policy. |
| Keywords: | social preferences, prosociality, environmental behaviors, externalities |
| JEL: | D01 D62 Q53 |
| Date: | 2025–05–27 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:kud:kucebi:2506 |
| By: | Derrien, François (HEC Paris); Garel, Alexandre (Audencia Business School); Romec, Arthur (Toulouse Business School); Zhou, Feng (Toulouse Business School) |
| Abstract: | We study climate-risk related engagements by one of the world's largest investors. Climate risk engagements represent a growing fraction of ESG engagements and are more frequent in high carbon emissions industries. We find that firms with greater carbon footprint and greater exposure to climate transition risk are more likely to be targeted. Following a climate risk engagement, targeted firms are more likely to commit to adopt a science-based climate target and to disclose climate-related information. Targeted firms also experience a reduction in their carbon emissions. However this reduction is limited to scope 1 and 2 emissions and its magnitude is inconsistent with net-zero targets. We also find that climate risk engagements are associated with greater voting support for management. Overall, our results suggest that shareholder engagement on climate issues can be an important tool in the fight against climate change. |
| Keywords: | Shareholder Engagement; Climate Change; Carbon Emissions; ESG; Activism |
| JEL: | D62 G23 G32 G34 M14 Q54 |
| Date: | 2025–01–28 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ebg:heccah:1543 |
| By: | Andreas Irmen (DEM, Université du Luxembourg); Maria Krelifa (DEM, Université du Luxembourg); Anastasia Litina (University of Macedonia) |
| Abstract: | We study an under-explored implication of population ageing, i. e., its effect on country-level environmental outcomes and on individual-level environmental attitudes. In doing so, we propose a novel classification of country-level environmental outcomes, namely action-requiring and nature-concerning. The borderline between these two categories lies in the level of civic engagement required to fulfill them. Using panel data from a broad set of countries (1995–2018), we find that population ageing is linked to improvements in environmental outcomes that require minimal civic engagement, while it shows no clear association with outcomes that depend on active participation. Analysis of survey data (2006–2016) further suggests that living in ageing societies lowers individuals’ environmental engagement, without affecting underlying environmental concern |
| Keywords: | ageing, environmental policy, individual attitudes, demographic change. |
| JEL: | J10 Q57 Q58 Q59 Z19 |
| Date: | 2025 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:luc:wpaper:25-08 |