Does culture matter for household carbon emissions? Evidence from “confucian” households in China

Xi Tan, Hanjin Xie, Chunmei Yang and Jun Li

Applied Economics, 2025, vol. 57, issue 26, 3489-3502

Abstract: Exploring cultural factors in household carbon emissions is of positive significance in promoting low carbon life. This research uses China Household Financial Survey 2015 (CHFS 2015) to investigate how Confucian culture impacts carbon emission of Chinese household. We found that Confucian households have significant lower level of carbon emissions due to the ‘inhibited’ consumption level and the service-oriented consumption structure; Specifically speaking, larger household sizes, stronger propensity to save, and stronger housing preferences lead to Confucian households’ lower consumption level, and an expenditure arrangement favouring education and medical care shapes a service-oriented consumption structure, which is also a low-carbon emissions consumption structure. Furthermore, Confucian ecological ethics did not notably enhance households’ subjective environmental attitudes, but strengthen adaptive behaviours in response to ecological deterioration, thereby reducing household carbon emission levels. Our research contributes fresh evidence and findings to the study of the environmental implications of Confucian culture.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2024.2337794

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