Paper short abstract:

This paper explores the potential influence of the moral economy in combating climate change and global warming. One major implication of this paper is that shared religious values matter in moderating consumption and thereby combating climate change and environmental degradation.

Paper long abstract:

Abstract: This paper explores the potential influence of the moral economy in combating climate change and global warming. Conventional economics is built upon the idea of managing limited resources to fulfil the maximum possible of unlimited human wants. Many authors are of the view that the theme of maximisation of satisfaction and profit leads to mass consumption and production which degrades the environment, causes poverty and deepens inequality. These factors have been implicated as root causes of climate change and global warming. Conversely, the moral economy is believed to advocate sustainability and promote the well-being of future generations. The paper uses quantitative method to assess the effect of shared religious values in moderating consumption, reducing waste and ultimately promoting a sustainable environment. The quantitative data used for this empirical research was collected through a questionnaire administered on 200 individuals working within Birmingham and the West Midlands. A measurement and structural model was formulated through adopting the structural equation modelling approach (using AMOS version 18). One major implication of this paper is that shared religious values matter in moderating consumption and thereby combating climate change and environmental degradation.

Keywords: shared values, environment, consumption, moral economy