A socio-psychological model for analyzing climate change adaptation: A case study of Sri Lankan paddy farmers

Farmers in developing countries are among the most vulnerable to climate change effects, particularly drought. However, little research has focused on the psychological mechanisms that facilitate or constrain agricultural adaptation behavior. Drawing on the protection motivation theory from health promotion research, we propose a risk, coping, and social appraisal (RCSA) model of adaptation decisions. To test the model, we assessed drought risk perceptions, efficacy beliefs, village identification, and perceived descriptive norms among a sample of 192 paddy farmers from five villages in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. Results revealed that the RCSA model was a better predictor of agricultural adaptation intention than a strictly demographic model. Efficacy beliefs were the strongest predictor of behavioral intentions, with descriptive norms also consistently relating to intentions. Drought risk perceptions related only to intention to adopt one of the behaviors, while village identification related only to a very communal behavior. The results have implications for agricultural extension officers, irrigation officers, and water management officials in their efforts to assist farmers in adapting to limited water resources

Carbon Labeling for Consumer Food Goods

We construct a model to predict how consumers will respond to better information about the carbon content of 42 foods and a nonfood composite as well as product categories through a label, and provide guidance as to what kinds of goods would provide the highest CO¬2eq emission reductions through a labeling scheme. Our model assumes that consumers value their individual carbon footprint, allowing us to utilize estimates of own- and cross-price elasticities of demand from the literature on demand analysis. We make three different assumptions about how consumers currently value their carbon footprint and find that when a label informs consumers, their baseline perception matters. We also find that carbon labels on alcohol and meat would achieve the largest decreases in carbon emissions

Using triple bottom line metrics and multi-criteria methodology in corporate settings

<p>With the growing importance of environmental sustainability in the corporate sector, businesses are compelled to progress from assessing and benchmarking their environmental impact to making decisions on how to prioritize impact reduction alternatives. Most often, business decisions are driven by financial metrics, but with sustainability improvements becoming a business goal, it is also important to assess metrics from environmental and social spheres; nevertheless, practically and systematically performing such an assessment is challenging. We present an application of a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method that addresses the aforementioned challenges in a corporate setting. Our case study company – one of the largest inland marine freight carriers in the United States – promotes a business culture focused on financially viable, yet socially and environmentally responsible solutions. Thus, we combine life cycle analysis (LCA), financial calculation methods, and corporate surveys to quantify environmental, economic, and social performance measures, respectively. Multiattribute utility theory is integrated with analytic hierarchy processes (AHPs) and fuzzy analysis to create a carefully designed framework for corporations with diverse groups of stakeholders. With company leadership, implementation is feasible and successful at prioritizing alternatives among diverse stakeholders. The process provides a platform for negotiation and promotes discussions on decision drivers. The use of MCDA methodologies promoted the inclusion of a suite of metrics that aligned with the company's sense of social and environmental responsibility, generating an in-depth analysis of the alternatives that factored in other things besides economics. Return-on-investments (ROI) calculations, the typical approach used in the corporate setting, would have required significantly less time and effort from the company, but the results of our MCDA application indicated that inclusion of triple bottom line metrics delve deeper into stakeholder preferences. Thus, our case study company gained a holistic view of the candidate alternatives, in addition to creating a platform for structured discussions about company goals and priorities.</p

A socio-psychological model for analyzing climate change adaptation: A case study of Sri Lankan paddy farmers

Farmers in developing countries are among the most vulnerable to climate change effects, particularly drought. However, little research has focused on the psychological mechanisms that facilitate or constrain agricultural adaptation behavior. Drawing on the protection motivation theory from health promotion research, we propose a risk, coping, and social appraisal (RCSA) model of adaptation decisions. To test the model, we assessed drought risk perceptions, efficacy beliefs, village identification, and perceived descriptive norms among a sample of 192 paddy farmers from five villages in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. Results revealed that the RCSA model was a better predictor of agricultural adaptation intention than a strictly demographic model. Efficacy beliefs were the strongest predictor of behavioral intentions, with descriptive norms also consistently relating to intentions. Drought risk perceptions related only to intention to adopt one of the behaviors, while village identification related only to a very communal behavior. The results have implications for agricultural extension officers, irrigation officers, and water management officials in their efforts to assist farmers in adapting to limited water resources