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3 - Adaptation, COVID-19, and Climate Change

from Part I - Evidence from Experiments and Behavioural Insights

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  aN Invalid Date NaN

By
George Loewenstein  and
Archie Kinnane
Edited by
Joan Costa-Font  and
Matteo M. Galizzi
Joan Costa-Font
Affiliation:
London School of Economics and Political Science
Matteo M. Galizzi
Affiliation:
London School of Economics and Political Science
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Summary

In this chapter, we examine connections between COVID-19 and climate change, the two major crises we have been living through over the past few years. How has the former affected the world’s collective response to the latter? What lessons have people learned about climate change from COVID-19, and what lessons should we (and policymakers) learn? Ultimately, research on adaptation shows that people are able to adapt rapidly and dramatically to changing circumstances. However, people underestimate their own rate of adaptation and how quickly they will learn to cope with a new situation. As a result, they will often resist change that they would end up being comfortable with. Unfortunately, policymakers are subject to the same bias. This under-appreciation of adaptation discourages policymakers from taking the types of bold initiatives that are required to deal with problems like climate change.

Keywords

adaptationclimate changebehavioural economics
Type
Chapter
Information
Behavioural Economics and Policy for Pandemics
Insights from Responses to COVID-19
 , pp. 42 - 56
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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