Patience and climate change mitigation: Global evidence

• Published in: Environmental research 2020-07, Vol.186, p.109552-109552, Article 109552
• Main Authors: Cai, Meina, Murtazashvili, Ilia, Murtazashvili, Jennifer Brick, Salahodjaev, Raufhon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Climate change; Climate change mitigation; Global commons; Institutions; Patience
• ISSN: 0013-9351; 1096-0953
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109552

Complex policy problems such as climate mitigation have an economic, political, and social dimension. We focus on one of the social dimensions of climate change mitigation: the link between society-wide patience (future orientation) and adoption of public policies to combat global greenhouse gas emissions. Theoretically, future-oriented societies are more likely to accept current costs in exchange for long-run benefits posed by climate change mitigation than impatient (present-oriented) ones, cooperate in efforts to combat climate change, and support future-oriented governments. We evaluate this claim using evidence from a cross-section of countries. Controlling for other theoretically relevant factors, we find that patient societies are more likely to adopt public policies to mitigate climate change. •Societies vary in the extent of future orientation, or patience.•Future-oriented societies are hypothesized more likely to adopt climate mitigation policies.•Mechanisms include facilitating collective action and support for future-oriented governments.•Quantitative analysis shows patient societies invest in climate mitigation policies.•An important future research agenda considers patience and adaptation to climate change.