The power of children in energy conservation: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial

Yuan Wang, Huayu Xu, Xiaoguang Xu and Yongmei Zhou

Journal of Development Economics, 2025, vol. 174, issue C

Abstract: We conducted a randomized evaluation of an innovative energy conservation program in China, engaging students in electricity usage auditing and peer competitions. The results show a 7% reduction in household electricity consumption four months post-intervention, with more pronounced effects among younger students and families with lower educational backgrounds. This reduction is primarily attributed to improvements in students’ daily consumption behaviors and knowledge of conservation strategies. Additionally, the program induced students to nudge their parents towards energy-saving practices, although these efforts did not translate into significant changes in parental behavior. If scaled nationwide, the program could potentially reduce residential electricity consumption by 2.5% and lower China’s carbon emissions by 0.27%.

Keywords: Energy conservation; Children; Environmental education; Activity-based learning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I25 Q41 Q48 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:deveco:v:174:y:2025:i:c:s0304387824001883

DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2024.103439

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