Religiosity and climate change policies

National climate change policies vary considerably across countries. This study explores how a country's adoption of climate change policies is influenced by its population's level of religiosity. We update and extend an existing cross-country index of climate change policy stringency. The cross-country analysis suggests that countries with populations exhibiting greater religious fervor tend to adopt less stringent climate change policies. Our findings shed new light on how a cultural dimension affects contemporary policy outcomes and may help policymakers identify obstacles to climate change policies.

Automated summary

This study reveals that a country's adoption of climate change policies is influenced by its population's level of religiosity, with countries exhibiting greater religious fervor tending to adopt less stringent policies. This sheds light on how culture plays a role in influencing policy outcomes and can help policymakers identify barriers to climate change policies.