Environmental taxation triggers persistent psychological resistance to climate policy

Nechumi Malovicki-Yaffe (), Boaz Hameiri (), Leah Bloy () and Ram Fishman ()
Additional contact information
Nechumi Malovicki-Yaffe: Tel-Aviv University
Boaz Hameiri: Tel-Aviv University
Leah Bloy: Hebrew University
Ram Fishman: Tel-Aviv University

Policy Sciences, 2025, vol. 58, issue 1, No 8, 145-159

Abstract: Abstract Environmental taxation is often lauded as an effective tool for changing consumer behavior, but it can also trigger substantial psychological resistance, especially among disproportionately affected groups, such as the Jewish ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) community, potentially creating a broad anti-environmental backlash. In the current study we provide novel empirical evidence for the psychological mechanisms that can drive such reactance and its potential long-term persistence. In 2021, Israel introduced a tax on single-use plastics, only to swiftly retract it amidst vehement political opposition and a change in government. We conducted six rounds of surveys within the Haredi population, known for its heavy use of single-use plastics. Immediately after the tax’s enactment, we found a substantial decrease in “pro-climate” positions. Regression analysis showed this change to be primarily driven by a sense of victimization—being unfairly singled out by the tax for political, rather than environmental, reasons. The economic burden of the tax played a lesser role. Two years after the tax was repealed, however, the decrease in “pro-climate” positions persisted, despite a decrease in sense of victimhood. These findings shed light on the potential negative and enduring psychological and political consequences of environmental taxation. They underscore the importance of addressing underlying grievances to foster genuine engagement with climate-related issues.

Keywords: Tax; Environmental policy; Single-use plastic; Ultra-orthodox; Psychological resistance; Victimhood (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11077-025-09565-w Abstract (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:kap:policy:v:58:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s11077-025-09565-w

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer. ... ce/journal/11077/PS2

DOI: 10.1007/s11077-025-09565-w

Access Statistics for this article

Policy Sciences is currently edited by Michael Howlett

More articles in Policy Sciences from Springer, Society of Policy Sciences
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().