Climate change and meat eating : An inconvenient couple?

Title data

de Boer, Joop ; Schösler, Hanna ; Boersema, Jan J.:
Climate change and meat eating : An inconvenient couple?
In: Journal of Environmental Psychology. Vol. 33 (2013) . - pp. 1-8.
ISSN 0272-4944
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2012.09.001

Project information

Abstract in another language

This paper addresses the relationship between meat eating and climate change focusing on motivational
explanations of environmentally-relevant consumer behavior. Based on a sample of 1083 Dutch
consumers, it examines their responses to the idea that they can make a big difference to nature and
climate protection by choosing one or more meals without meat every week. This idea can be seen as
a new opportunity to help mitigation, but also as a counterproductive message that might trigger
negative responses among consumers who are skeptical about climate change. As hypothesized, the
meat-free meal idea was received more positively by consumers who valued care for nature and more
negatively by those who did not value it. Also as hypothesized, the meat-free meal idea was received
more negatively by consumers who were skeptical about the seriousness of climate change. The idea was
not received more positively by those who did take it seriously. The results support the notion that the
meat-free meal idea may serve as a counterproductive message. From the perspective of motivation, it is
preferable not to isolate the meat-climate issue but to develop an approach that combines multiple
values regarding food choices, including health and nature-related values.