Hierarchy of Value Orientation and Beliefs in Climate Change Influencing the Farmer’s Extractive or Non-Extractive Behavior on the Farm: Intergenerational Perspectiv

Abstract Understanding the drivers of farmers’ extractive and non-extractive behavior regarding natural resources became increasingly important in the face of anthropogenic climatic change which is a major challenge of today world. Non extractive or adaptive uses of natural resources in the farm refers to crop diversification, soil and water conservation, less volumes of CO2 emissions. Extractive behavior in the farm is associated with digging deeper wells instead of using water optimally, using chemical fertilizers with more repetition and higher dosage instead of bio-fertilizers, carbon emission and as a result more climate change. To successfully respond to climate change using a cognitive hierarchy model influence of values on the belief and behavior has been assessed among farmers of Zanjan province. The results depicted that value orientations directly and through beliefs in climate change significantly elucidated 21 percent of variability in non-extractive behavior and 26 percent of extractive behavior variance. Further, we found an intergenerational difference in value orientations and behaviors. The recommendations have been presented to increase people's efforts to reduce their ecological footprint in the nature.