Abstract
A growing literature has sought to understand the relationships between religion, politics and views about climate change and climate change policy in the United States. However, little comparative research has been conducted in other countries. This study draws on data from the 2011 Australian National Church Life Survey to examine the beliefs of Australian churchgoers from some 20 denominations about climate change—whether or not it is real and whether it is caused by humans—and political factors that explain variation in these beliefs. Pentecostals, Baptist and Churches of Christ churchgoers, and people from the smallest Protestant denominations were less likely than other churchgoers to believe in anthropogenic climate change, and voting and hierarchical and individualistic views about society predicted beliefs. There was some evidence that these views function differently in relation to climate change beliefs depending on churchgoers’ degree of opposition to gay rights. These findings are of interest not only for the sake of international comparisons, but also in a context where Australia plays a role in international climate change politics that is disproportionate to its small population.
Highlights
Given the increasing importance of climate change in American political debate, and the influence of religion in politics in that country, an emerging body of survey research has sought to understand the relationships between religion, politics and views about climate change and climate change policy responses among the American public
To test H1 with the demographic variables included, denomination and approaches to faith were included in the model, with regressions conducted separately for these two types of religion indicators (Model A1 for denomination, Model B1 for approach to faith)
The beliefs of Sydney Anglicans, who belong to a diocese that is recognized across the worldwide Anglican Communion as having a strongly evangelical character, did not differ significantly from other Anglicans (58% of both groups believed in anthropogenic climate change)
Summary
Given the increasing importance of climate change in American political debate, and the influence of religion in politics in that country, an emerging body of survey research has sought to understand the relationships between religion, politics and views about climate change and climate change policy responses among the American public. 61% of the population identified as Christian and 22% with no religion in the 2011 Australian National Census of Population and Housing [2], and the proportion who claimed to attend religious services weekly declined to some 12%. Research on climate change, religion and politics in this nation is important in a domestic context and internationally, for two main reasons: Australia’s role in international climate change geopolitics, and the potential for religious institutions and their adherents to play a role in the development or otherwise of policy responses to climate change
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