Does higher climate concern lead to a smaller carbon footprint? A study among the Nordic country residents

Abstract

The global carbon budget to keep warming within 1.5° is being rapidly depleted, and demand-side measures are crucial to meet mitigation targets. Although the Nordic countries are regarded as having strong environmental policies, per capita consumption-based carbon footprints are high. The effect of climate concern and other pro-environmental attitudes on pro-environmental behaviour has been extensively studied, but the relationship between climate concern and consumption-based carbon footprints is largely unknown. Using responses from around 8000 Nordic participants of an online carbon footprint calculator survey, carbon footprints were investigated at different levels of climate concern, across consumption domains, and across the five Nordic countries. Although participants with high climate concern had carbon footprints between 1.5–2 tons lower than those with low concern, the overall footprints were well above the global average, and 2–3x higher than the level compatible with 1.5° warming.