General public takes up counterintuitive expert advice on effective climate action
Abstract Individual voluntary climate action could contribute to closing the gap between global emission targets and the instruments in place. However, complex regulatory frameworks make it difficult for individuals to understand which actions align with their goals. Expert advice might provide guid...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88122-0 |
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| _version_ | 1823862531018457088 |
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| author | Johannes Jarke-Neuert Grischa Perino Daniela Flörchinger Manuel Frondel |
| author_facet | Johannes Jarke-Neuert Grischa Perino Daniela Flörchinger Manuel Frondel |
| author_sort | Johannes Jarke-Neuert |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Individual voluntary climate action could contribute to closing the gap between global emission targets and the instruments in place. However, complex regulatory frameworks make it difficult for individuals to understand which actions align with their goals. Expert advice might provide guidance, but it is not trivial how detailed the advice should be. In a large consequential choice experiment with five informational load conditions, this paper uses the voluntary cancellation of European Union Allowances as an application to narrow down a minimum amount of information required to induce effective actions. We find a clear pattern of advice being processed and followed, even if it includes a demanding level of detail and counters prior convictions. Moreover, a mere assertion is highly effective already. These results are good news for efforts to increase the effectiveness of voluntary climate action. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f20d48eb21104efe8ea6692565027e6e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-f20d48eb21104efe8ea6692565027e6e2025-02-09T12:31:47ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-02-011511810.1038/s41598-025-88122-0General public takes up counterintuitive expert advice on effective climate actionJohannes Jarke-Neuert0Grischa Perino1Daniela Flörchinger2Manuel Frondel3Institute of Climate and Energy Systems—Jülich Systems Analysis (ICE-2), Forschungszentrum JülichCenter for Earth System Research and Sustainability (CEN), Universität HamburgRWI—Leibniz Institute for Economic ResearchRWI—Leibniz Institute for Economic ResearchAbstract Individual voluntary climate action could contribute to closing the gap between global emission targets and the instruments in place. However, complex regulatory frameworks make it difficult for individuals to understand which actions align with their goals. Expert advice might provide guidance, but it is not trivial how detailed the advice should be. In a large consequential choice experiment with five informational load conditions, this paper uses the voluntary cancellation of European Union Allowances as an application to narrow down a minimum amount of information required to induce effective actions. We find a clear pattern of advice being processed and followed, even if it includes a demanding level of detail and counters prior convictions. Moreover, a mere assertion is highly effective already. These results are good news for efforts to increase the effectiveness of voluntary climate action.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88122-0 |
| spellingShingle | Johannes Jarke-Neuert Grischa Perino Daniela Flörchinger Manuel Frondel General public takes up counterintuitive expert advice on effective climate action Scientific Reports |
| title | General public takes up counterintuitive expert advice on effective climate action |
| title_full | General public takes up counterintuitive expert advice on effective climate action |
| title_fullStr | General public takes up counterintuitive expert advice on effective climate action |
| title_full_unstemmed | General public takes up counterintuitive expert advice on effective climate action |
| title_short | General public takes up counterintuitive expert advice on effective climate action |
| title_sort | general public takes up counterintuitive expert advice on effective climate action |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88122-0 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT johannesjarkeneuert generalpublictakesupcounterintuitiveexpertadviceoneffectiveclimateaction AT grischaperino generalpublictakesupcounterintuitiveexpertadviceoneffectiveclimateaction AT danielaflorchinger generalpublictakesupcounterintuitiveexpertadviceoneffectiveclimateaction AT manuelfrondel generalpublictakesupcounterintuitiveexpertadviceoneffectiveclimateaction |