The Sustainable Economic Behaviour. NIMBY effect

Abstract

Sustainable Behavioural Economics can do a good job fighting for sustainability by acting on individuals and firms. Nevertheless, although a high percentage of the world's population considers global change to be a very important challenge, this concern is not so strongly reflected in daily actions. There is a gap between what we believe should be done and what we actually do in terms of sustainability. The five main causes that, in my opinion, limit our actions in favor of sustainability are: loss aversion; present bias; and rebound, confessional and NIMBY effects. The article focuses on the latter.

The NIMBY effect consists on supporting a certain action as long as we enjoy its positive effects but its costs or negative effects do not affect us. The article includes several cases of this effect, from "Von der Leyen's pony" to the EU Nature Restoration Law and Renewable Energy Directive, passing through the 30X30 Project. Furthermore, the consequences of this effect on the rural areas is analyzed.

The main conclusion is that Western developed urban societies are guided by environmental hypocrisy: we want to be green, use less polluting energy, have protected spaces or recover part of the nature and animal species that once populated Spain and Europe. Ultimately, we want the benefits of living in a more sustainable world. But we are not willing to bear its costs. We transfer those to less developed countries and rural areas.