Investigating Public Support for the Carbon Generalized System of Preference through the Lens of Protection Motivation Theory and Information Deficit Model

The pressing challenges of climate change require government policy interventions. The carbon generalized system of preference (CGSP) is a novel incentive policy that has tremendous potential to reduce carbon emissions in response to climate change. However, there have been few studies focusing on public support for the CGSP, which is the precondition for its seamless implementation. Drawing on the protection motivation theory and information deficit model, this study presents and empirically validates a holistic theoretical framework in which information (information about climate change and information about the CGSP), threat appraisal (threat vulnerability and threat severity), and coping appraisal (response efficacy, self-efficacy, and response cost) are the factors influencing public support for the CGSP. Survey data of 372 respondents were empirically analyzed using the PLS-SEM method. The results show that threat vulnerability, threat severity, response efficacy, and self-efficacy positively affect public support for the CGSP, while response cost does not influence public support for the CGSP. Information about climate change indirectly influences public support for the CGSP through threat vulnerability and threat severity. Information about the CGSP not only directly affects public support for the CGSP but also indirectly affects public support for the CGSP through response efficacy and self-efficacy. The theoretical framework of this study can serve as a reference for future research on public support for environmental policies. The findings of this study also furnish insights for policymakers to develop feasible strategies for the seamless implementation of the CGSP.