Climate Change Policy Implementation and Citizens’ Willingness to Pay within a Federal System

Abstract

Climate Change Policy Implementation and Citizens’ Willingness to Pay within a Federal System Tabitha S. M. Morton Abstract Policy implementation is a critical process in any form of government. The many players involved dictate the effectiveness and efficiency of public policies. Consequently, citizens have preferences for the organization responsible for implementation. This paper examines how these preferences effect citizens’ willingness to pay for public policy, and more specifically two forms of climate change policy, within a federal system. I focus on the four bodies found within the federal form of government: national government, state government, local government, and private agencies/industries. I find that citizens who prefer that the national government implement climate change policies are willing to pay for mitigation-style policies. Those who prefer that the state and local levels of government are willing to pay for adaptation policies. Citizens who hold the opinion that private industries should implement climate change policies are unwilling to pay for any policy. These findings have implications for policymakers, scholar, and citizens alike not only for climate change policies, but also other policies such as education, healthcare, and welfare. Full Text: PDF DOI: 10.15640/ppar.v6n2a1