Environmental Consciousness and Willingness to Pay for Carbon Emissions Reductions: Empirical Evidence from Qatar

The individual’s willingness to pay (WTP) for environmental reduction programs is one way of gauging society’s environmental consciousness. We explore the determinants of an individual’s WTP for a product produced from carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technology in Qatar. A representative questionnaire sample was administered to 1012 respondents in Qatar on habits, perceptions, economic and religious attitudes related to environmental consciousness, and WTP. The findings reveal that environmental concern is significantly enhanced by environmental consciousness, awareness, and education, while environmental awareness also positively influences perceived social norms regarding others’ environmental awareness. Further, environmental consciousness, religiosity, and education are significantly positively associated with the WTP for an eco-friendly product. Also, those who earn high incomes have a greater WTP for eco-friendly products with premium prices of 10–75% higher. Respondents motivated by religious obligation have a significantly greater WTP for eco-friendly products with a 10–30% price premium. These findings imply the need for context-specific strategies that leverage cultural values, address income disparities, and effectively communicate the benefits of green choices to drive the adoption of green products.