Impact of the built environment on climate change risk perception and psychological distancing: Empirical evidence from Islamabad, Pakistan

Abstract

Rapid urbanization coupled with increasing climate change has instigated thermal stresses and reduced the quality of life in the built environment. For climate change adaptation, it is essential to quantify the public’s perceptions of climate change. This study employs the concept of risk perception and psychological distance to understand the role of the built environment in shaping public perception. An index-based approach was used to quantify climate change risk perception and psychological distance using indicators from disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation literature. Risk perception was constructed using three dimensions, i.e., fear, attitude, and trust, while for psychological distancing, four dimensions were used, i.e., geographic, social, temporal, and uncertainty. Local climate zone (LCZ) using WUDAPT procedure was used to identify five different built environments of Islamabad, Pakistan. Statistical tests were performed to find differences between the selected indicators and dimensions. Pearson’s correlation was used to establish the link between risk perception and psychological distancing. Results showed that there was a significant difference in risk perception and psychological distancing indicators among the LCZs. A strong negative correlation was found between risk perception and psychological distancing to climate change indexes. This study advocates the importance of the built environment in shaping public perceptions of climate change risks. This pivotal study can help in integrating the philosophies of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.