An Online Survey Experiment on Carbon Tax Acceptability and Carbon Disclosure

Last registered on January 22, 2026
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
An Online Survey Experiment on Carbon Tax Acceptability and Carbon Disclosure
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0017656
Initial registration date
January 13, 2026

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
January 22, 2026, 6:21 AM EST

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

Country
Japan
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Kayo Murakami
Affiliation
School of Economics, Kwansei Gakuin University
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Shoko Goto
PI Affiliation
Kyoto University
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Additional Trial Information

Status
Completed
Start date
2025-12-21
End date
2025-12-26
Keywords
Behavior, Environment & Energy, Welfare
Additional Keywords
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
We conduct an online survey experiment to examine the social acceptability of carbon taxation and information disclosure policies. Respondents are randomly assigned to different policy frames, including carbon taxes, value-added taxes, and carbon disclosure, and participate in discrete choice experiments involving either policy package choices or food product choices, with variation in tax rates and revenue recycling schemes. By comparing stated policy support and preferences from choice behavior, the study provides evidence on how price-based and information-based climate policy instruments affect consumer and citizen decision-making.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Goto, Shoko and Kayo Murakami. 2026. "An Online Survey Experiment on Carbon Tax Acceptability and Carbon Disclosure." AEA RCT Registry. January 22. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.17656-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Intervention (Hidden)
Intervention Start Date
2025-12-21
Intervention End Date
2025-12-26

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Discrete choice behavior over policy or product attribute bundles in a choice experiment
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Respondents in an online survey are randomly assigned to different policy frames, including carbon taxes, value-added taxes, and carbon disclosure. Depending on the assigned condition, respondents participate in a discrete choice experiment involving either policy package choices or food product choices. The study compares choice behavior and stated policy support across experimental conditions.
Experimental Design Details
The study is an online survey experiment in which respondents are randomly assigned to multiple experimental conditions that vary in policy framing and choice context. Policy frames include carbon taxation, value-added taxation, and carbon disclosure. Depending on the assigned condition, respondents complete a discrete choice experiment involving either policy package choices or food product choices. Policy choice experiments vary attributes such as tax rates, revenue recycling schemes, policy outcomes, and household cost implications. Product choice experiments vary attributes such as prices, tax components, revenue use, and, in some conditions, carbon disclosure information. All respondents also answer questions on policy support and individual characteristics.
Randomization Method
Individual-level randomization implemented by a computer algorithm within the online survey platform.
Randomization Unit
Individuals
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
4,800 individuals
Sample size: planned number of observations
4,800 individuals
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
8 arms with approximately 600 individuals per arm (total 4,800 individuals)
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Kyoto University Global Survivability Studies Experiment Review Board
IRB Approval Date
2025-12-12
IRB Approval Number
202507
Analysis Plan

Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

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Intervention

Is the intervention completed?
Yes
Intervention Completion Date
December 26, 2025, 12:00 +00:00
Data Collection Complete
Yes
Data Collection Completion Date
December 26, 2025, 12:00 +00:00
Final Sample Size: Number of Clusters (Unit of Randomization)
Was attrition correlated with treatment status?
Final Sample Size: Total Number of Observations
Final Sample Size (or Number of Clusters) by Treatment Arms
Data Publication

Data Publication

Is public data available?
No

Program Files

Program Files
Reports, Papers & Other Materials

Relevant Paper(s)

Reports & Other Materials