Conclusions and policy implications

This study investigates intertemporal preferences by estimating individual discount rates in both monetary and environmental contexts. Using survey-based experiments and stated preference methods on a representative sample of the Italian population, it examines how individuals trade off present and future benefits and how discounting behavior varies across contexts and socio-demographic groups. The results show higher discount rates for monetary outcomes than for environmental goods, suggesting that individuals place relatively greater value on future environmental benefits. These findings highlight the context sensitivity of time preferences and have important implications for cost-benefit analysis and long-term policy design, particularly in environmental and public investment settings.