Questioning the Climate Change Age Gap

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry. Core Insights - The paper challenges the widely held belief that younger generations are more concerned about climate change than older generations, presenting evidence that older individuals may be equally or more concerned about climate change [2][9][46] - The findings indicate that older respondents are more likely to oppose tax increases for climate policies, reflecting a general decline in willingness to pay taxes with age rather than a specific aversion to climate change financing [9][60] - The study utilizes data from 38 countries in Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East, collected during the 2023 Life in Transition Survey, to analyze the relationship between age and climate change attitudes [2][33] Summary by Sections Introduction - The concept of a "climate change age gap" is introduced, suggesting that younger people are perceived to care more about climate change due to their longer expected lifespan under adverse conditions [6][8] - The paper aims to explore this notion and its implications for climate policy implementation [6][7] Literature Review - Previous studies show mixed results regarding age as a predictor of climate change beliefs, with some indicating younger individuals are more concerned while others find minimal differences [12][14][16] - The literature highlights various socio-structural and psychological factors influencing climate change beliefs across different age groups [12][18] Theoretical Framework - A theoretical model is developed to explain how age-related factors influence perceptions and willingness to act on climate change [21][26] - The model suggests that older individuals may have heightened concerns about climate change impacts due to their increased vulnerability [21][30] Data - The analysis is based on the 2023 Life in Transition Survey, which includes a representative sample from 38 countries, focusing on climate beliefs and actions [33][34] - Key questions assess personal beliefs about climate change and willingness to support government actions through taxes [33][35] Empirical Results - The results show that older individuals are generally more concerned about climate change impacts on future generations but are less willing to pay higher taxes for climate policies [46][60] - A significant age gradient is observed in willingness to support climate change actions, with younger individuals showing higher willingness to pay [44][60] Conclusion - The study concludes that the perceived age gap in climate change concern may be overstated, with older individuals demonstrating significant concern but lower willingness to finance climate actions through taxes [9][60] - The findings suggest that policymakers should consider these dynamics when designing climate policies to ensure broad support across age groups [9][60]