Efficiency or equality? The utilitarianism-egalitarianism trade-off determines carbon allocation preference

Area of Science:

• Environmental Social Science
• Moral Psychology
• International Relations

Background:

• International carbon allocation faces a persistent conflict between economic efficiency and ethical equality.
• Prior research often focused on ingroup bias, neglecting the influence of competing moral values.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of moral value trade-offs (utilitarianism vs. egalitarianism) in shaping international carbon allocation preferences.
• To examine the mediating effect of justice reasoning on the relationship between moral values and carbon allocation decisions.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of large-scale survey data (Study 1).
• Experimental manipulation of moral value endorsement (Study 2).
• Mediation analysis using a manipulation-of-mediator design (Study 3).

Main Results:

• National-level endorsement of utilitarianism correlated with a preference for efficiency in carbon emissions.
• Experimental manipulation shifted preferences towards efficiency or equality based on the endorsed moral value.
• Justice reasoning, specifically efficiency-focused justice, mediated the effect of moral values on allocation preferences.

Conclusions:

• Moral value trade-offs are a significant determinant of international carbon allocation preferences.
• Understanding these moral dimensions is crucial for advancing international carbon abatement cooperation.
• Justice reasoning provides a key mechanism linking moral values to policy preferences.