Mens & Maatschappij - Volume 95, Issue 3, 2020

Abstract The values behind climate action: How personal values and perceived group values can motivate and promote climate action To reach global climate targets, it is key that individuals support and undertake climate action. What motivates such actions? We discuss how climate actions are rooted in – and motivated by – values, which reflect stable and general life goals that guide individuals’ behaviours. We focus on the Read More

Abstract The transition to a fossil fuel free society is expected to affect the way we live considerably. As part of Dutch Climate Agreement (Klimaatakkoord) which aims to reduce CO2 emissions, the Dutch government has expressed the ambition to gradually move towards a ‘natural-gas-free’ built environment in 2050. This decision will eventually affect all citizens in the Netherlands, both home owners and tenants. In Read More

Abstract Behavioral-economic pitfalls in the energy transition The energy transition requires large investments. The public debate in the Netherlands focuses on the associated costs, and the government uses traditional instruments such as subsidies. From the perspective of behavioral economics this approach has a few drawbacks. The goal of this article is to discuss behavioral-economic pitfalls which are im Read More

Abstract Sustainability and Public Support: Political-Philosophical reflections on deliberative democracy and ‘glocalization’ This article explores two parallel strategies that could enhance a shift towards becoming a sustainable society. Such a transition requires major changes in lifestyle and coexistence and can only be achieved with extensive public support. We argue that innovative practices of democratic deliberation and Read More

Abstract The legitimacy of climate policy is a necessary condition for the broad acceptance of government interventions and civic participation. News media are an important source of information for public perceptions and beliefs concerning climate change and climate policy, which people will use to grant or deny legitimacy. In this article we apply the theoretical perspective of media framing to analyse Dutch newspaper co Read More