Behavior, decisions and ecological transition: experimental approaches with policy implications

Abstract

One key aspect of the ecological transition has to do with individuals’ and collective behavior and its impact on climate change and decarbonization. We will describe how these questions can be studied by proper experimental designs by focusing on two examples: the implementation of Nordhaus's climate club idea for making countries contribute to climate change mitigation, and the interplay between the perception of the risk of a climatic catastrophe and the social norms arising from, and influencing, individual behavior. We will draw conclusions of the outcome of the experiments that can be relevant for policy making.