The Guidance and Spillover Effects of Residents' Low-Carbon Consumption Behavior: A Narrative Review

Gaofei Ren; Yaoyao Chen

doi:10.65773/ure.2.1.148

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Section

Review Article

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2026)

How to Cite

Ren, G., & Chen, Y. (2026). The Guidance and Spillover Effects of Residents’ Low-Carbon Consumption Behavior: A Narrative Review. Urban-Regional Ecology, 2(1), 45-62. https://doi.org/10.65773/ure.2.1.148

Authors

Gaofei Ren*

School of Management, Jiujiang University, Jiujiang, China ; Jiangxi Yangtze River Economic Zone Research Institute, Jiujiang, China

Yaoyao Chen

School of Management, Jiujiang University, Jiujiang, China

Abstract

As the issue of global climate change becomes increasingly severe, advocating for low-carbon consumption has emerged as a vital strategy for nations to address this challenge. A narrative review of the antecedents, guiding factors, and consequences of residents' low-carbon consumption behavior is crucial for constructing an accurate and effective mechanism to promote low-carbon consumption. This study provides a comprehensive review of existing research on the factors influencing residents' low-carbon consumption behavior, guiding policies, and spillover effects. The findings indicate that residents' low-carbon consumption behavior is the result of the interplay of multiple factors. Individual cognitive factors, external situational factors, and demographic factors collectively form an explanatory network for this behavior. Policy tools designed to guide residents' low-carbon consumption can be categorized based on the timing of intervention into two major types: proactive guiding policies and follow-up guiding policies, each with its own mechanisms, strengths, and potential limitations. Research on the spillover effects of low-carbon consumption behavior is still in its nascent stages; however, existing studies suggest that low-carbon consumption behavior in the private sector can have positive or negative spillover effects on other environmentally friendly behaviors. This study critically reviews the existing research controversies, methodological flaws, and theoretical differences, and constructs a theoretical framework for the antecedents, guidance, and spillover effects of residents' low-carbon consumption. This provides theoretical support and practical guidance for urban regional low-carbon ecological governance.

Keywords:

residents' low-carbon consumption, influencing factors, guiding policies, spillover effects

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