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Farmers’ Risk Cognition, Risk Preferences and Climate Change Adaptive Behavior: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Author

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  • Rui He

    (State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
    Faculty of Geographical Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
    Chongqing Academy of Social Sciences, Chongqing 40020, China)

  • Jianjun Jin

    (State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
    Faculty of Geographical Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China)

  • Foyuan Kuang

    (Faculty of Geographical Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China)

  • Chenyang Zhang

    (Faculty of Geographical Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China)

  • Tong Guan

    (Faculty of Geographical Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China)

Abstract

Improving local farmers′ climate change adaptive capacity is an important policy issue in rural China. This study investigates farmers′ risk cognition, risk preferences and climate change adaptive behavior. Based on unique data from a survey and a paired lottery experiment completed by 240 rural farmers in Chongqing City of China, this paper finds that farmers have a pessimistic risk cognition towards climate change and the typical farmers are risk-averse and loss-averse. Risk cognition and adaptation cognition have significantly positive influences on climate change adaptive behavior, and loss aversion has a significantly positive influence on farmers′ adaptation decisions. Loss aversion exerts a positive impact on risk cognition and adaptation cognition, and risk aversion has a positive impact on adaptation cognition. This paper contributes to the emerging literature that relates risk preference in experiments and risk cognition to farmers′ climate change adaptive behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Rui He & Jianjun Jin & Foyuan Kuang & Chenyang Zhang & Tong Guan, 2019. "Farmers’ Risk Cognition, Risk Preferences and Climate Change Adaptive Behavior: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2019:i:1:p:85-:d:300520
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    References listed on IDEAS

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