Climate change mitigation policies and personal cost: Are young people more willing to bear the cost for a greener tomorrow?

Abstract: Even as the public awareness and concern about climate change are increasing, and the younger generations are urging for political action, support for more costly and ambitious mitigation policies is not given. The low-cost hypothesis theory provides an explanation for why our concern about climate change fails to translate into supporting policies when the personal cost is high. However, research addressing if younger people are less cost sensitive is missing in the literature. In this thesis, I conduct an online experimental vignette survey to capture the effect between cost and support, together with a potential interaction of age. The research relies on data gathered from 165 participants living in Malmö and nearby areas and was analyzed using simple linear regression- and interaction models. My results indicate that higher cost has an effect on support. I also find mixed evidence of personal costs and habits as moderating the relationship, and concern as mediating. However, support was not moderated by age. The findings contribute to the understanding of voter support for climate change mitigation policies and provide both an empirical, theoretical and methodological contribution.