From parenthood to planet care? The evolution of environmental and climate concerns during family formation

Abstract

We examine the effect of childbirth on parents’ environmental and climate concerns, focusing on potentially dynamic changes in concerns within a time span of 2 years before and up to 10 years after birth. Additionally, we explore the effect of heterogeneities by gender and educational attainment. Using long-running survey data from the German Socio-economic Panel Study (GSOEP, 1984–2020, N = 108,340) and estimating linear probability models with fixed-effects, we contribute substantially to previous research that has been limited by cross-sectional approaches with mixed or even contradictory results. Contrary to the popular notion that childbirth leads to higher levels of environmentalism based on legacy motives, our results suggest marginal and mostly negative effects of childbirth on environmental and climate concerns, particularly in the first years after birth. Over time, however, these negative effects diminish and turn slightly positive, indicating increased concerns. We found gender differences varying by concern domain and nuances of different effect directions by educational attainment, highlighting the complex nature of the nexus between family formation, gender, and environmentalism. Recent parents’ slightly reduced focus on environmental and climate challenges may reflect denial mechanisms during highly stressful times, as they prioritize immediate and novel challenges associated with parenthood, often leading to an increase in less environmentally favorable behaviors.