Effects of information provision on willingness to pay for conservation of alpine plants in Japan

• Published in: Journal of environmental management Vol. 342; p. 118175
• Main Authors: Imamura, Kohei, Takano, Kohei Takenaka, Yoshida, Yumi, Nakashizuka, Tohru, Managi, Shunsuke
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 15.09.2023
• Subjects: Adolescent; Alpine vegetation; Attitude; Carbon; Climate change; Conservation scenario; Discrete choice experiment; Ecosystem; ecosystems; Environmental communication; environmental management; Humans; Japan; natural resources conservation; society; standard deviation; surveys; Surveys and Questionnaires; willingness to pay; youth; Japan; Alpine vegetation; Climate change; Environmental communication; Conservation scenario; Japan; Discrete choice experiment
• ISSN: 0301-4797; 1095-8630; 1095-8630
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118175

Information provision is essential for obtaining the cooperation of the general public for the conservation of unfamiliar ecosystems towards a sustainable (e.g. carbon-neutral and nature-positive) society. The purpose of this study is to identify effective ways of raising public awareness for ecosystem conservation. We explored the interaction between the manner of information provision (i.e. the medium through which and how much information is provided) and the personal attributes (e.g. environmental attitude) of the recipients on their willingness to pay (WTP) for conservation using Japanese alpine plants as the subject. Discrete choice experiments using an online survey were conducted with public citizens aged 20–69 years across Japan, and data from 8457 respondents were analysed. The data analysis was performed in two steps: 1) estimating individual WTP and 2) exploring factors affecting WTP. The results demonstrated that individual WTP was 135,798 ± 82,840 (mean ± standard deviation) JPY per person for a lifetime. The WTP increased when information was provided in the form of short texts and graphics for those proactive about nature conservation, but increased more when video information was provided to those reactive about nature conservation. The study shows that ecosystem conservation groups need to adapt the amount and format of information for target audiences (e.g. Generation Z youth, who are more sustainability-oriented and prefer to accomplish more in less time). •We probed how information supply affects willingness to pay for alpine conservation.•A discrete choice experiment using an online survey was conducted across Japan.•Short texts and graphics were effective for those proactive about conservation.•Video information was effective for those reactive about nature conservation.•Tailoring information to individual attitudes is vital to obtain public cooperation.