BC3-UPV/EHU Seminars: Social Preferences about Climate Change: Evidence from Spain

BC3-UPV/EHU Seminars
“Social Preferences about Climate Change: Evidence from Spain. “

Seminar given by Prof. Maria Loureiro (Associate Professor at the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela).

Abstract

Spain faces a complex situation regarding its climate change policies. On the one hand, greenhouse gas emissions have shown an important increase since 1990, being far from the Kyoto commitments. On the other hand, Spain is likely to suffer important impacts from climate change. However, there has been a rather limited application of corrective policies, particularly in the field of energy prices. Indeed, although Spanish citizens generally show a large concern towards climate change, price increases in energy goods have been traditionally opposed. In this paper we try to offer an explanation to this phenomenon, and a possible hint for future policies in the field, by showing how Spanish households strongly favour the application of energy programs that makes electricity and car fuels more expensive to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The article presents the basic results from the application of a contingent valuation survey that provides information on households’ willingness to pay and attitudes regarding different alternatives to reduce greenhouse gases.