Scaling fairness: Balancing self-interest, community needs and societal justice for public acceptance of climate change mitigation policies in the Nordic Region

Public perception regarding the fairness of climate mitigation policies is considered a key determinant of social acceptance. The literature distinguishes between perceptions related to the impacts of climate policies on individuals and households (self-interest) and broader concerns regarding the distributional impacts of climate policies (societal interest). This study also examines perceptions of fairness at the local community level. The aim is to examine the interplay between climate consciousness, perceptions of distributive justice at the societal level, expectations regarding climate policy impacts on the local community, and personal experiences at the household level to support climate change mitigation policies. Based on survey data from a representative sample of the Nordic population (N = 5080), we utilise ordinal logistic regression (OLR), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) to examine the role of these factors in promoting social support for the climate agenda across the Nordic Region. Our results highlight the key role played by climate concerns, expectations regarding the impacts of climate policies at the local community level and perceptions about their financial effects on respondents' households, rather than considerations regarding distributive justice at the societal level. Our results suggest that, within a Nordic context, individuals place more importance on the perceived and expected impacts of climate change mitigation policies at the household and local community levels (‘fairness to us’) than on distributive justice at the societal, level (‘fairness to others’). • We examine the role of fairness in Nordic climate policy acceptance. • Climate consciousness and perceived localised impacts of climate policies are key drivers of climate policy acceptance. • Perceived localised impacts of climate policies mediate the relationship between climate concern and climate policy acceptance. • Perceived localised impacts of climate policies exacerbate perceptions of distributional inequity at the societal level. • Climate policy acceptance isn't driven by perceptions of distributive justice at the societal level.