Mapping the Drivers of Climate Policy Support Across Time: A Review

Abstract

Grasping the changing factors of public and political support for climate policy is significant to ensuring the practical implementation, effectiveness, and long-term sustainability of these policies. This review integrates multidisciplinary literature to chart the drivers of climate policy support over three broad time periods: pre-2000s, 2000–2015, and post-2015. Before 2000, support for climate policy was limited by distant, technical framing, weak public communication, and elite-driven decision-making that failed to generate societal engagement. Between 2000 and 2015, risk awareness grew through extreme weather visibility, media attention, and economic arguments that framed climate action as necessary and cost-effective. International negotiations introduced more flexible and inclusive governance, helping broaden political appeal. Since 2015, support for climate policy have become increasingly shaped by decentralized climate governance, heightened public concern, digital media influence, and expectations of fairness and national leadership. The range of this review includes global and regional contexts, drawing on environmental psychology, political science, and behavioral economics. Over 150 studies are evaluated using thematic analysis, focusing on quantitative and qualitative approaches. Methodologically, the review compares methodologies across regions and disciplines, highlighting a bias towards the Global North and the prevalence of cross-sectional designs. The study identifies significant gaps in longitudinal studies, interdisciplinary frameworks, and Global South-focused studies. This article seeks to address the longitudinal gaps in the literature by reviewing the drivers of climate policy support evolution across distinct periods. The results highlight the need to address communication and policy interventions to evolving drivers of support. This review ends with strategic implications for policy and communication. Future research must continue bridging regional divides, synthesizing interdisciplinary perspectives, and adapting to changing public values, risk perceptions, and political realities.

Keywords: Climate Policy Support, Public Perception, Political and Institutional Factors

DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/15-3-05

Publication date: September 30^th 2025