Work

Is it Greener on the Right Side? The Relationship Between Political Preferences and Environmental Behavior in Hungary

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Environmentalism and pro-environmental behavior are widely thought to correlate with political attitudes. In particular, both empirical and anecdotal evidence suggests that left-leaning individuals have more favorable dispositions toward environmentalism and practices that are regarded as environmentally friendly. We test this hypothesis using election data from Hungary. The main novelty of our result is that we study revealed, not stated, preferences. We concentrate on one particular environmental practice: waste separation. Surprisingly, we find that districts with a higher left-wing vote share engage less in waste separation on average. This result, although surprising, is consistent with previous survey-based evidence. We provide suggestions on how to interpret and explain our findings.

Source: East European Politics and Societies and Cultures

DOI: 10.1177/08883254251333781

Authors: Barna Bakó, Zombor Berezvai, Péter Isztin, József Ráti

Institution: Corvinus University of Budapest

Language: English

Topic: Environmental Education and Sustainability

Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,650