Why citizens support (or resist) climate policy: the role of trust, perceived urgency and equality in Italy

This study investigates public support for climate mitigation policies and assesses their fairness through a large-scale conjoint experiment (n=2000) in Italy, focusing on three key drivers: trust in institutions, psychological distance and egalitarianism. The results show that trust in institutions influenced preferences, with the European Union emerging as the most trusted proponent of climate policies, more so than Italian national or regional institutions. The urgency of climate action played a critical role: respondents were significantly more likely to support immediate implementation over delayed approaches. While Italian respondents are sensitive to policies addressing within-country inequality, there is minimal concern for global redistribution. More specifically, policies funded through taxing emissions, or the wealthy were significantly preferred, whereas regressive funding mechanisms reduced support. Respondents perceive climate policies as fairer when they include egalitarian features that support low-income groups and have clear, immediate or gradual implementation timelines rather than uncertain ones. Political orientation moderated preferences, with left-leaning individuals showing stronger egalitarian and urgency concerns.