Hao Haiyan, Lin Jiaying, Qiu Shiyong, Liu Li, Dai Jiahuan
School of Humanities and Social Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.
World Resources Institute (USA) Beijing Representative Office, Beijing, China.
PLoS One. 2025 Mar 19;20(3):e0319687. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0319687. eCollection 2025.
Cities in China have made progressive strides in developing low-carbon societies and experimenting with various low-carbon measures. The successful implementation of these low-carbon measures and the subsequent maintenance of relevant amenities rely on the support of local residents. However, there is limited understanding of residents' awareness and support for the different types of low-carbon measures, which can involve different trade-offs. This research addressed this research gap by surveying residents' willingness-to-pay for five representative low-carbon measures implemented in Shenzhen, a pioneering low-carbon city in China. Surveys were collected from 14 distinct residential areas in Shenzhen, and the analysis results revealed that Shenzhen residents were more inclined to pay for low-carbon measures that directly benefit them personally, as opposed to those serving the collective good. This trend was particularly evident among educated elites. Other notable findings include: 1) respondents aware of the different low-carbon measures in effect were more likely to pay for them; 2) male respondents, new Shenzhen residents (relocated within the last 5 years), high-income individuals, and residents in aging residential areas tended to contribute higher amounts towards low-carbon measures; 3) providing detailed information on carbon mitigation effects significantly increased both the likelihood and the amount of respondents' WTP; 4) the adoption of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) is especially controversial between NEV owners and gasoline vehicle owners. These findings hold implications, such as developing targeted policies and educational interventions, to enhance public awareness and support for low-carbon initiatives, thus fostering sustainability in rapidly growing urban centers like Shenzhen.
中国城市在发展低碳社会和试验各种低碳措施方面取得了逐步进展。这些低碳措施的成功实施以及相关便利设施的后续维护依赖于当地居民的支持。然而，对于居民对不同类型低碳措施的认识和支持程度了解有限，因为这些措施可能涉及不同的权衡。本研究通过调查中国低碳先锋城市深圳实施的五项代表性低碳措施的居民支付意愿，填补了这一研究空白。从深圳14个不同的居民区收集了调查问卷，分析结果显示，深圳居民更倾向于为直接使个人受益的低碳措施付费，而不是那些服务于集体利益的措施。这种趋势在受过教育的精英群体中尤为明显。其他显著发现包括：1）了解实际实施的不同低碳措施的受访者更有可能为其付费；2）男性受访者、新深圳居民（过去5年内搬迁至此）、高收入个人以及老旧居民区的居民倾向于为低碳措施贡献更高的金额；3）提供有关碳减排效果的详细信息显著增加了受访者支付意愿的可能性和金额；4）新能源汽车的采用在新能源汽车车主和汽油车车主之间尤其具有争议性。这些发现具有启示意义，例如制定针对性政策和开展教育干预，以提高公众对低碳倡议的认识和支持，从而促进像深圳这样快速发展的城市中心的可持续发展。
