2023/02/26 by Joshua A. Schwartz, Paul Lendway, Abolfazl Nuri · 1 voice
Environmental Science · Social Sciences · #Climate Change Communication and Perception #Environmental Education and Sustainability #Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy
paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/09644016.2023.2178351
openalex publication_date 2023/02/26 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/02
Divestment is a prominent strategy championed by activists to induce positive social change. For example, the current fossil fuel divestment movement includes over 1,500 institutions that control 40 trillion in assets. A primary pathway through which divestment is theorized to be effective is by influencing public beliefs and policy preferences, thus pressuring policymakers to take action. However, prior research only tests this argument via qualitative case studies. We assess the impact of exposure to information about fossil fuel divestment on public opinion through the use of national survey experiments in three major greenhouse gas emitters: the U.S., India, and South Africa. We find surprisingly little evidence that exposure to information about the fossil fuel divestment movement can increase public support for policies that address climate change. Our findings suggest that divestment movements may be less effective at changing beliefs and policy preferences than previously realized.