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Heterogeneous Substitutability Preferences

Author

Listed:
  • Moritz A. Drupp
  • Jasper N. Meya
  • Björn Bos
  • Simon Disque

Abstract

We study the heterogeneity of preferences regarding the limited substitutability of environmental public goods vis-a-vis private consumption goods and how it affects the economic valuation of environmental public goods. We show theoretically that mean marginal willingness to pay for an environmental public good decreases in society’s mean substitutability preference and increases in the heterogeneity of individual-level substitutability preferences. We then introduce an experimental framework to elicit individual-level substitutability preferences for the first time directly, which we apply to study general population preferences concerning the trade-off between market goods and forest ecosystem services. We estimate preference parameters for almost 1,500 individuals and document substantial preference heterogeneity. The majority of individual preferences imply a complementary relationship, with a median elasticity of substitution (complementarity) of around 0.4 (2.5). We show that accounting for heterogeneity in substitutability preferences may considerably increase the societal value attached to environmental public goods. These findings are relevant for environmental cost-benefit analysis and for the comprehensive accounting of public natural capital.

Suggested Citation

  • Moritz A. Drupp & Jasper N. Meya & Björn Bos & Simon Disque, 2024. "Heterogeneous Substitutability Preferences," CESifo Working Paper Series 11197, CESifo.
  • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11197
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    substitutability; complementarity; heterogeneous preferences; non-market valuation; experiment; donations; public goods; policy appraisal;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods
    • D64 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Altruism; Philanthropy; Intergenerational Transfers
    • C99 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Other

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