Individual social capital and willingness to contribute money for the environment

Abstract

Individuals tend to act for the common benefit of their community if certain elements of social capital exist (Coleman, 1990; Putnam, 1993, 2000). Consequently, it is assumed that citizens will tend to cooperate for the long-term improvement and conservation of natural resources in communities with high stocks of social capital (Pretty, 2003). The aim of this article is to examine these assumptions by connecting individual social capital to the willingness of individuals to contribute money for environmental improvement. Data were obtained from European Values Survey (1999/2000) and individual social capital was estimated through the inclusion of four factors: trust (institutional and social), formal social networks, social norms and civic participation. The analysis conducted indicates that stocks of social capital influence the tendency of individuals to contribute (or not contribute) money for environmental goods. Through the study, empirical proof is provided for the connection between individual social capital and attitudes concerning natural resources.