Support for coercive and voluntary climate policies: the relevance of climate change concern, political trust and generalised trust in Finland

Purpose This paper aims to study how climate change concern, political trust, and generalised trust are associated with public support for coercive and voluntary climate policies. Understanding these dynamics is critical for crafting climate policies that gain sufficiently broad public support, ensuring their longevity and efficacy. Design/methodology/approach This study analyses data from a probability sample of 2,169 respondents collected in Finland in 2022. The data analysis was conducted using an ordered probit regression model. This study also examines interaction effects to understand how political and generalised trust modify the impact of climate change concern on support for both coercive and voluntary climate policy measures. Findings The analysis indicates that higher levels of both climate change concern and political trust are associated with more support for climate policies, whether coercive or voluntary. Higher generalised trust is associated with more support for voluntary policies, particularly among those with lower levels of climate concern. Conversely, political trust significantly increases the likelihood of supporting coercive measures, irrespective of the level of climate concern. Originality/value This study contributes to the understanding of how different trust dimensions intersect with climate change concern to shape public support for coercive and voluntary climate policies. By acknowledging the roles of these factors, policymakers can tailor strategies to enhance public acceptance and the effectiveness of climate actions. Moreover, instead of exploring individual measures, by examining coercive and voluntary climate policies as entities the study provides new insights into the study of attitudes on climate policy.