Disentangling justice as recognition through public support for local climate adaptation policies: Insights from the Southwest US

Abstract

Public policy in the US is partially influenced by public opinion. Studies that focus on the factors that predict urban populations' strong supports for local climate adaptation policies are still lacking. Engaging environmental and public policy behavior and recognition justice approaches, we argue people's support for urban climate policies reveal certain vulnerable communities' lack of recognition in local adaptation decision-making processes. Using the 2011 Phoenix Area Social Survey, we focus on two climate adaptation policies: 1) increasing the number of trees planted along public streets, a nature-based solution; 2) engineering new paving materials that absorb less heat”, a technology-oriented infrastructure configuration to deal with rising temperatures in the Phoenix Metro Area, Arizona. We found climate change beliefs and acknowledging climate change as a threat to people's households and ways of life are the strongest predictors supporting the two suggested local climate policies. While individuals other than non-Hispanic White background and who identify themselves as liberal strongly support a nature-based solution, people who are 41 to 56 years of age support a technology-oriented infrastructure configuration. Further studies must focus on the persistent power asymmetries and divergence in regulations spurred from the state and local governments that inhibit further climate actions through urban planning and design.