| dc.description.abstract | Air travel contributes a substantial share of global greenhouse gas emissions and is projected to rise further in the coming years. Given the urgency of climate change mitigation, reducing or offsetting emissions within the aviation sector is imperative. To successfully design and implement emission reduction projects, airlines and policymakers must understand consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for sustainability in air travel. Several studies have been conducted in recent years with this objective; however, they encompass diverse contexts and circumstances, resulting in considerable variation in the reported WTP values and no clear way to explain the differences. Therefore, this thesis undertakes a meta-analysis to establish a comprehensive understanding by standardising the findings and identifying key factors that influence WTP. The meta-analysis employs weighted least squares regression models and includes two sampling methods, drawing from the results of 31 primary studies. The findings reveal that consumer WTP can be up to 160% higher for a credible offsetting scheme compared to one lacking credibility. Additionally, the results indicate that framing the offset as “per flight” rather than “per tonne CO2” also increases WTP, although there is no discernible correlation of WTP with the offset being voluntary or mandatory. Higher income, more education, and pro-environmental attitudes were all found to increase WTP, while age and gender do not appear to have a consistent influence. The results presented in this thesis yield significant insights that can be applied to the design of effective carbon offsetting schemes, thereby enhancing the sustainability of aviation in the future. | |
