Can political preferences thwart voluntary pro-environmental behaviour?

Abstract

This study contributes to the evolving literature on political preferences (PP) and voluntary pro-environmental behaviour (VPEB) by assessing this relationship across diverse domains (waste, energy use and biodiversity), using composite indices and testing the potential role of various PP: political interest, vote, attitudes towards intervention and trust in the government at the municipal, national and European Union (EU) levels. The empirical approach involved setting up a conceptual framework for explaining pro-environmental behaviour (PEB), employing data from a representative sample of the population of an EU member state (Malta) and analysing these data using econometric techniques to isolate the impacts of each determinant. Once the usual demographics are controlled for, the results indicate that low political interest, low trust and negative attitudes towards government intervention thwart voluntary environmental behaviour across diverse domains.