Exploring public perception of environmental technology over time |
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Authors: | Carola Braun Katrin Rehdanz Ulrich Schmidt |
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Affiliation: | 1. University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom;2. Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Kiel, Germany;3. Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Kiel, Germany;4. Department of Economics, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany;5. Department of Economics and Econometrics, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, South Africa |
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Abstract: | This paper analyses how new information shapes public perception of a controversially discussed technology over time. The test case analysed in this paper is solar radiation management (SRM), a potentially risky, environmental engineering technology, which aims to fight climate change by the injection of sulphate aerosols into the stratosphere. Using panel survey data, we show that most respondents initially show strong negative emotions towards SRM and reject the technology. However, public perception is not stable over time as emotions cool off and acceptance increases. The increase in acceptance is greater, the longer the cooling-off period between two surveys. Furthermore, we show that the cooling-off effect is more pronounced for more impulsive respondents. |
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Keywords: | climate engineering climate policy public perception cooling-off |
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