Risk perceptions, voluntary contributions and environmental policy

Abstract

This article study the impact of risk perception on environmental policy. The environmental quality is uncertain and can be improved by voluntary contributions. We introduce then an heterogeneity in individuals' risk perceptions. In this context, the social optimum can be decentralized by tax financed government subsidies to private provision. We distinguish the case of a government who represents perfectly agents' preferences from the case of a government with its own risk preferences. In the two cases, we show that neutrality still holds