Do we care about sustainability? An analysis of time sensitivity of social preferences under environmental time-persistent effects

Faccioli, M., Hanley, N. , Torres, C. and Font, A. R. (2016) Do we care about sustainability? An analysis of time sensitivity of social preferences under environmental time-persistent effects. Journal of Environmental Management, 177, pp. 356-364. (doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.03.039)

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Abstract

Environmental cost-benefit analysis has traditionally assumed that the value of benefits is sensitive to their timing and that outcomes are valued higher, the sooner in time they occur following implementation of a project or policy. Though, this assumption might have important implications especially for the social desirability of interventions aiming at counteracting time-persistent environmental problems, whose impacts occur in the long- and very long-term, respectively involving the present and future generations. This study analyzes the time sensitivity of social preferences for preservation policies of adaptation to climate change stresses. Results show that stated preferences are time insensitive, due to sustainability issues: individuals show insignificant differences in benefits they can experience within their own lifetimes compared to those which occur in the longer term, and which will instead be enjoyed by future generations. Whilst these results may be specific to the experimental design employed here, they do raise interesting questions regarding choices over time-persistent environmental problems, particularly in terms of the desirability of interventions which produce longer-term benefits.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Hanley, Professor Nicholas
Authors: Faccioli, M., Hanley, N., Torres, C., and Font, A. R.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
Journal Name:Journal of Environmental Management
Publisher:Elsevier
ISSN:0301-4797
ISSN (Online):1095-8630
Published Online:26 April 2016
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd.
First Published:First published in Journal of Environmental Management 177: 356-364
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

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