What drives resident acceptance of personal carbon trading policy in China?

Personal carbon trading (PCT) policy has been considered as an innovative and radical environmental policy tool to achieve carbon neutrality in private sector. For a new policy tool, resident acceptance is extremely vital and should be considered first and put in a vital position. The aim of this research is to understand resident acceptance of PCT policy and examine what drives resident acceptance and opposition of PCT policy. Based on a national survey in China, this research analyzed the level of resident acceptance toward PCT policy and its associated driving factors. Results delineated that residents are more likely to accept the piloting of PCT policy in other city and more positive toward the implementation of PCT policy in the next five years, but less likely to accept the piloting of PCT policy in their city and more negative toward the immediate implementation of PCT policy across the country. Furthermore, this research uncovered that residents from different regions and living areas and with different income level have different acceptable level to PCT policy. Additionally, this research found that resident acceptance of PCT policy is significantly affected by PCT knowledge, perceived benefit, perceived cost, perceived policy effectiveness and environmental awareness. However, compared with other factors, environmental awareness plays a limited role in improving resident acceptance of PCT policy. On the basis of research findings, measures to improve resident acceptance of PCT policy were discussed.