The moral economy of environmental policies: how welfare and environmental attitudes affect environmental policy support

Purpose As popular concerns about climate change grow, political discussions increasingly centre around environmental issues. Unsurprisingly, governments have a strong interest in better understanding public attitudes toward environmental policies. In this context, the paper draws on moral economy theory to explain more fully how attitudes toward welfare state support can affect attitudes toward environmental policy support. Design/methodology/approach We introduce a moral economy of environmental policies to capture the attitudinal framework surrounding environmental policies. An analysis of Wave 8 of the European Social Survey data is carried using multilevel modelling. Findings Findings reveal two mechanisms linking welfare attitudes and environmental policy support. First, individuals who support welfare states also support environmental policies. This behaviour aligns with the synergy hypothesis. Second, in countries with strong welfare state support, individuals are less inclined to turn their climate change concerns into support for environmental policies. This behaviour aligns with the crowding out hypothesis. The findings allow researchers to better discern the mechanisms connecting welfare attitudes and environmental policy support. Policymakers in democratic welfare states can use them to decide on how best to address both policy areas during elections and in their everyday work. Originality/value This article clarifies the connection between welfare attitudes and environmental policy support, which has previously been perceived as complex. It demonstrates that there are in fact two mechanisms at play, each following a different dynamic.