Explaining Risk Perception of Climate Change in Indonesia through Cultural Dimension of Uncertainty Avoidance, Collectivistic, and Long-term Orientation

Abstract

Risk perception of climate change is believed to be the first step to tackle climate change problems around the world. There are many factors to cause people being aware of climate change risks but research on cultural dimensions is rarely conducted. This research examines the correlation of cultural dimension uncertainty avoidance, collectivistic, and long-term orientation with risk perception of climate change. The research was conducted in Indonesia as the country with the high score in uncertainty avoidance, collectivistic, and long-term orientation. Data was collected using online survey and shared in several cities in Indonesia, in three largest Islands, Sumatera, Java, and Sulawesi. It was found that risk perception of climate change is positively correlated to the cultural dimensions of uncertainty avoidance, collectivistic, and long-term orientation. Demography variables such as age, gender, education level and disaster experiences have found not related to the risk perception of climate change. The result enriches the contribution of cultural dimensions in shaping risk perception especially risk perception of climate change, and the description of Indonesia’s cultural dimensions and risk perception of climate change.