ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science

Incentives rather than penalties work best to enact climate change policies

The carrot may be better than the stick when rallying support for policies that tackle climate change.

Jordan StricklerbyJordan Strickler
November 2, 2021
in Climate, News, Science
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit
Incentives work best when trying to enact climate change policies. (Image: Pixabay)

What is a good way to get someone to care about the climate? Easy, you pay them in some way to care. In an important test of carrot versus stick, a series of studies out of Penn State found that people would not only be more willing to do their part to combat climate change if they were given an incentive, but that it wouldn’t really matter what political party they were a member of either.

Researchers for the university found that Americans would be willing to abide by policies emphasizing alternative energy sources which touted incentives – such as tax breaks or rebates — rather than those which forced penalties against those not compliant with eco-friendly guidelines. They also found that participants would rather prefer the policies to be targeted toward businesses than themselves.

Findings uncovered that reasons for policy support ended up going beyond whether or not the participants believed the policy effectively protected the environment.  They also revealed that the economy and its effect on society played a large role. This suggests people consider impacts on all “three pillars of sustainability” — people, planet, and the economy.

“Policies can’t mitigate climate change unless they’re put into action, so it’s important to consider public reactions to these policies if they’re going to be ultimately successful,” said Janet Swim, professor of psychology at Penn State. “Policymakers may choose to pursue policies that are more likely to be accepted by the public, but because many policies are needed, it’s also important to know sources of concern for less popular policies.”

Three studies as part of the research, which involved 444 individuals: one which focused on who the policies should target, individuals or businesses; another on what type of change was needed (transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources or reducing energy use); and a third compared motivating policy support by using incentives versus disincentives.

Eight hypothetical climate change policies were given to them. After studying each, the participants rated them on how likely they would be to support it and whether the policies would help or harm the environment, economy, and society.

One surprising finding that came to the researchers is that whether Democrat, Republican, or Independent, neither really cared if they got something out of it…sort of. Democrats still tended to support the policies over their conservative peers.

RelatedPosts

Scientists find new shrew species in Philippines — in a special “sky island”
What is calculus and how to get the hang of it
‘Chewing like a cow’ helped early mammals thrive in the wake of dinosaur extinction
Martin Luther King day

“It may be useful to focus less on political divides when it comes to climate change and more on how policies affect the things people care about, such as the environment, economy and social impacts, to help bridge partisan conflict,” Swim said. “By engaging more thoroughly with the public, policymakers may be able to uncover specific concerns regarding policies. This could improve communication and even result in changes to policies to alleviate concerns and help raise support.”

The study was published in the Environmental Science and Policy and the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

ShareTweetShare
Jordan Strickler

Jordan Strickler

A space nerd and self-described grammar freak (all his Twitter posts are complete sentences), he loves learning about the unknown and figures that if he isn’t smart enough to send satellites to space, he can at least write about it. Twitter: @JordanS1981

Related Posts

Climate

Methane Leaks from Fossil Fuels Hit Record Highs. And We’re Still Looking the Other Way

byMihai Andrei
2 hours ago
SNR 0509-67.5
News

Astronomers Found a Star That Exploded Twice Before Dying

byJordan Strickler
3 hours ago
Environment

This Enzyme-Infused Concrete Could Turn Buildings into CO2 Sponges

byTudor Tarita
4 hours ago
Science

Buried in a Pot, Preserved by Time: Ancient Egyptian Skeleton Yields First Full Genome

byMihai Andrei
15 hours ago

Recent news

Methane Leaks from Fossil Fuels Hit Record Highs. And We’re Still Looking the Other Way

July 3, 2025
SNR 0509-67.5

Astronomers Found a Star That Exploded Twice Before Dying

July 3, 2025

This Enzyme-Infused Concrete Could Turn Buildings into CO2 Sponges

July 3, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.