Work

From incentives to action: how young individuals translate motivations into committed reductions in product carbon footprints?

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Promoting low-carbon actions among young individuals is crucial for consumption-based mitigation. As a behavior intervention tool, the carbon inclusive mechanism holds significant potential to support this transition. However, empirical evidence on its effectiveness in carbon emission reduction remains limited, particularly regarding diverse consumption patterns and heterogeneous population responses. This study focuses on young individual consumers (aged 18-35) in China using questionnaire surveys and the life cycle assessment (LCA), and investigates their carbon footprint (CF) and reduction potentials under the carbon inclusive mechanism. Results show that average monthly carbon reduction potential of young individuals can reach 3.1 kg, 5.2 kg, and 8.0 kg CO 2 per capita under low, medium, and high incentive scenarios, which account for 4.0%, 7.0%, and 10.3% of the total CF, respectively, with diminishing marginal returns. The main meal contributes the largest share of carbon emissions, and also reflects the strongest willingness to reduce carbon emissions among young individuals. The adjustment of main meals consumption yields the largest absolute reductions, while snack and beverage achieve the highest proportional reductions. Heterogeneity analyses reveal that females demonstrate greater carbon reduction potential than males under the same incentive scenario, whereas males exhibit a greater incremental response to increasing incentive levels. Young individuals aged 31-35 contribute more to carbon reduction, especially in food consumption. These findings underscore substantial behavioral and demographic heterogeneity in emission reduction potential and provide theoretical and empirical support for designing more targeted and behaviorally sustained carbon inclusive policies.

Source: Cleaner and Responsible Consumption

DOI: 10.1016/j.clrc.2026.100464

Authors: Xinran Qu, Junliang Wu, Huiwen Zhang, Yuhan Liang, Yafei Wang, Shaoqing Chen

Institutions: Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangdong University of Technology, University of Cambridge

Language: English

Topic: Climate Change Policy and Economics

Subfield: Economics and Econometrics

Field: Economics, Econometrics and Finance

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Climate action, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,630