Abstract
As climate change intensifies, global publics will experience more unusual weather and extreme weather events. How will individual experiences with these weather trends shape climate change beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors? In this article, we review 73 papers that have studied the relationship between climate change experiences and public opinion. Overall, we find mixed evidence that weather shapes climate opinions. Although there is some support for a weak effect of local temperature and extreme weather events on climate opinion, the heterogeneity of independent variables, dependent variables, study populations, and research designs complicate systematic comparison. To advance research on this critical topic, we suggest that future studies pay careful attention to differences between self-reported and objective weather data, causal identification, and the presence of spatial autocorrelation in weather and climate data. Refining research designs and methods in future studies will help us understand the discrepancies in results, and allow better detection of effects, which have important practical implications for climate communication. As the global population increasingly experiences weather conditions outside the range of historical experience, researchers, communicators, and policymakers need to understand how these experiences shape-and are shaped by-public opinions and behaviors.
Highlights
Climate change perceptions shape both individual and societal responses to the climate crisis
Can publics accurately perceive shifting temperatures? Do perceptions of local weather trends and weather events shift public climate perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors? Do individuals attribute these experiences to climate change? Can these perceptions prompt increased policy action as climate impacts intensify [2–4]? These are all empirical questions that have drawn the attention of social scientists over two decades
We reviewed articles that empirically investigate the relationship between public opinion about climate change and experience with local weather, climate, and extreme events
Summary
Climate change perceptions shape both individual and societal responses to the climate crisis. An individual who dismisses the existence of climate change may underestimate the risk of extreme weather events and, may not take appropriate adaptive actions. Voters who do not recognize the existence of climate change may be less likely to support policies that mitigate climate risks. We perceive shifting local weather conditions and weather-related extreme events like heat waves, floods, and wildfires. Climate change is currently driving these and other local weather conditions beyond historical ranges. Our individual and societal ability to detect and respond to these changes is critical. Do perceptions of local weather trends and weather events shift public climate perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors? Can publics accurately perceive shifting temperatures? Do perceptions of local weather trends and weather events shift public climate perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors? Do individuals attribute these experiences to climate change? Can these perceptions prompt increased policy action as climate impacts intensify [2–4]? These are all empirical questions that have drawn the attention of social scientists over two decades
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