International trends in public perceptions of climate change over the past quarter century

It is not easy to determine the precise moment when climate change became a public communication issue in Spain. Among early references, the national newspaper El País published a story titled “World climate is going to change,” on November 17, 1976, and the term “global warming,” imported from the United States, appeared frequently in the media, from 1988 onward. However, academic research about communication of this important issue is relatively recent. A seminar held in 2005 warned that there were “no specific studies on the way the Spanish citizenry is facing the climate change threat” (II Seminario de Comunicación, Educación y Participación frente al Cambio Climático, Lekaroz, Navarra). This seminar precipitated the first study on public perception of climate change in Spain. According to more recent research, 90.1% of Spanish citizens are aware that climate change is happening, whereas only 4.6% are not. Historical records indicate that awareness has grown consistently in the early 21st century, with awareness levels that are similar to those of other countries. However, although there exists a strong consensus within the scientific community on the existence and the anthropogenic origin of climate change, polls indicate that only a small part of the Spanish population (39.0%) is aware of this agreement; a figure that is similar to that of other countries, such as the United States. In addition, two thirds of the Spanish population (64.4%) believe that climate change is mainly a consequence of human activities; a higher percentage than in other countries, like the United States. This ambivalent picture is not surprising, considering climate change is a marginal topic for mainstream Spanish media. According to a study conducted in 2005 and 2011, only 0.2% of all stories in the main national newspapers and 0.19% of national TV news focused on climate change, a lower percentage than in other countries. Media coverage of this issue has fluctuated since the 1990s, depending on several factors, like the existence of links to current affairs (such as international climate summits), notable report publications (from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), and public engagement efforts (such as the Al Gore film An Inconvenient Truth). As far as the quality of the coverage is concerned, research shows similar trends to those detected internationally, including politicization, superficiality, and catastrophism. However, compared to other countries, there is a lower representation of skeptic viewpoints in the Spanish media that may be related to a weaker public visibility of skeptic think tanks and personalities. Academic interest in climate change communication has risen since 2010. Only four publications (books or articles) were released from 2001 to 2005, whereas more than 30 appeared in the period 2011–2015. Research has primarily focused on public perception and media coverage of climate change and has been conducted mainly by four universities (Universidad Complutense, Universidad de Málaga, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, and Universidad de Navarra). Communication actions related to climate change have been carried out by several nongovernmental organizations, often as part of international events and campaigns. In the early 21st century, national and regional public institutions have conducted several campaigns to communicate and raise climate change awareness, producing several exhibitions and publications, mainly on climate change mitigation. Several forums have suggested that the current weaknesses could benefit from a closer relationship among the media and scientific institutions. This could contribute to provide more credible information on the reality of climate change, as well as the options for mitigation and adaptation. Future research could also address climate change coverage in online media and social networks, as well as reception studies, currently underrepresented in academic studies conducted in the country.

Climate Change and the Health of the Public

<p>Egypt is among the most susceptible countries in the world to the potential impacts of climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identified the Nile Delta as one of the most exposed deltas to sea level rise. Despite these alarming predictions, there is a lack of in-depth studies on public risk perceptions of climate change in Egypt. Understanding the public’s risk perception of climate change is vital in informing policy and developing effective risk communication strategies that improve public engagement with climate change and, in turn, encourage actions to address its potentially harmful impacts. This thesis provides a novel contribution to the literature through a mixed methods approach, using an online survey and semi-structured interviews. The research investigates three main topics: (1) Public perceptions of climate change; (2) Predictors of climate change risk perception; and (3) Perceptions of climate change adaptation. Results of the survey and the interviews showed that while participants were concerned about climate change and believed in the human causation of it, they had limited understanding and misconceptions about its causes (for example, erroneously linking climate change to the ozone layer). The Climate Change Risk Perception Model (CCRPM) adopted in this study explained 19.2% of the variance in risk perception. In addition, it revealed that experiential factors (affect and personal experience) were the strongest predictors of climate change risk perception in Egypt, while socio-cultural factors (value orientations) were the weakest predictors. Interviews with participants also highlighted that negative feelings featured prominently when speaking about personal experiences with the impacts of climate change. Moreover, regression analysis showed that personal and societal climate change risk perception had different predictors. These results offer important recommendations for policy, relating to matters such as targeted ways of communicating the science, impacts and risks associated with climate change.</p>

<p>Egypt is among the most susceptible countries in the world to the potential impacts of climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identified the Nile Delta as one of the most exposed deltas to sea level rise. Despite these alarming predictions, there is a lack of in-depth studies on public risk perceptions of climate change in Egypt. Understanding the public’s risk perception of climate change is vital in informing policy and developing effective risk communication strategies that improve public engagement with climate change and, in turn, encourage actions to address its potentially harmful impacts. This thesis provides a novel contribution to the literature through a mixed methods approach, using an online survey and semi-structured interviews. The research investigates three main topics: (1) Public perceptions of climate change; (2) Predictors of climate change risk perception; and (3) Perceptions of climate change adaptation. Results of the survey and the interviews showed that while participants were concerned about climate change and believed in the human causation of it, they had limited understanding and misconceptions about its causes (for example, erroneously linking climate change to the ozone layer). The Climate Change Risk Perception Model (CCRPM) adopted in this study explained 19.2% of the variance in risk perception. In addition, it revealed that experiential factors (affect and personal experience) were the strongest predictors of climate change risk perception in Egypt, while socio-cultural factors (value orientations) were the weakest predictors. Interviews with participants also highlighted that negative feelings featured prominently when speaking about personal experiences with the impacts of climate change. Moreover, regression analysis showed that personal and societal climate change risk perception had different predictors. These results offer important recommendations for policy, relating to matters such as targeted ways of communicating the science, impacts and risks associated with climate change.</p>

The public perception of climate change in Taiwan and its paradigm shift

Despite extensive exploration into the use of language in climate change communication, our understanding of the use of visual images, and how they relate to public perceptions of climate change, is less developed. A limited set of images have come to represent climate change, but rapid changes in the digital landscape, in the way media and information are created, conveyed, and consumed has changed the way climate change is visualized. We review the use of climate imagery in digital media (news and social media, art, video and visualizations), and synthesize public perceptions research on factors that are important for engaging with climate imagery. We then compare how key research findings and recommendations align with the practical strategies of campaigners and communicators, highlighting opportunities for greater congruence. Finally, we outline key challenges and recommendations for future directions in research. The increasingly image‐focused digital landscape signals that images of climate change have a pivotal role in building public engagement, both now, and in future. A better understanding of how these images are being used and understood by the public is crucial for communicating climate change in an engaging way.This article is categorized under: Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Perceptions of Climate Change

Microblogs are electronic platforms that convey brief communications posted by users. Keyword searches in popular microblogs, like Twitter, reveal fragments of users' knowledge of and views on issues like climate change. Evaluations of climate change communications in the microblogosphere are rare even compared with the few studies on the impacts of Web sites and blogs on users' perceptions of climate change. However, extant research focuses more often on appraising logic and evidence in microblog discourse than in discovering pathways of influence and impact. The limiting ‘frames’ imposed by strategic users of microblogs and the persuasive power of ‘influencers’ are often depicted as interfering with the open, egalitarian potential of microblogs, and also, as perpetrating bias and misinformation. But oversimplifying or biased framings and pronouncements by celebrities are the stock and trade of microblogs. Good or bad, they are part of a communication medium whose users plunge in to exchange views, to persuade, and to be persuaded. Tweets and posts on any number of issues are fodder for attitudinal analytics and predictive modelling. Tools of the analytical trade should be applied to climate change microblogging, too, considering the sheer number of people who post commentary on this topic, and considering the continuing need to better understand how people view and engage with climate change.This article is categorized under: Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Perceptions of Climate Change

Bangladesh's topography makes it particularly susceptible to climate change. To tackle the impending tragedy of climate change, the country's infrastructural, institutional, and financial capacity must be increased. People's perception of climate change varies greatly based on their social backgrounds. Thus, understanding public perceptions of climate change may help improve government policies, adaptation, and community activities. To understand Bangladeshi people's knowledge, perception, and attitude about climate change, an online survey among the general population was conducted using a structured questionnaire methodology. The study participants are mostly from Dhaka (70.25%) and have a moderate level of education (79.75% undergraduate). Most of them have heard of climate change and acknowledge the negative effects of climate change. Over half of the participants are willing to give up personal gains to help solve current climatic and environmental issues. The majority of them, however, don't consider environmental factors while purchasing things and have never participated in climate change-related environmental protection initiatives. In Bangladesh, the general public's knowledge, attitude, and perception of climate change varies considerably. While knowledge and perceptions are high, attitudes towards climate change differ. Along with promoting awareness, people should be encouraged to participate in climate change-related activities.

Bangladesh's topography makes it particularly susceptible to climate change. To tackle the impending tragedy of climate change, the country's infrastructural, institutional, and financial capacity must be increased. People's perception of climate change varies greatly based on their social backgrounds. Thus, understanding public perceptions of climate change may help improve government policies, adaptation, and community activities. To understand Bangladeshi people's knowledge, perception, and attitude about climate change, an online survey among the general population was conducted using a structured questionnaire methodology. The study participants are mostly from Dhaka (70.25%) and have a moderate level of education (79.75% undergraduate). Most of them have heard of climate change and acknowledge the negative effects of climate change. Over half of the participants are willing to give up personal gains to help solve current climatic and environmental issues. The majority of them, however, don't consider environmental factors while purchasing things and have never participated in climate change-related environmental protection initiatives. In Bangladesh, the general public's knowledge, attitude, and perception of climate change varies considerably. While knowledge and perceptions are high, attitudes towards climate change differ. Along with promoting awareness, people should be encouraged to participate in climate change-related activities.

Climate change communication is a crucial strategy for addressing the major challenges of climate change, and the knowledge mapping analysis and overview of it helps to clarify research progress. Based on CiteSpace, 428 pieces of domestic and foreign literature are collected to clarify the basic status of climate change communication research and summarize research hotspots and prospects. The study found that: (1) The earliest traceable English literature on climate change communication appeared in 2000. The number of articles published has risen steadily since 2008, reaching its first peak in 2015. (2) In contrast, research into Chinese climate change communication began late and progressed slowly. The Chinese literature on climate change communication first appeared in 2009. Although domestic research generally continues to pay attention to this phenomenon, there is still room for development compared with international research. (3) The research hotspots for climate change communication are obtained through keyword co-occurrence analysis. Public perceptions of climate change are strongly influenced by political ideology. Since climate change has political attributes, people from different political parties or groups form their views on climate change through identity protection. (4) The research content on climate change communication can be summarized into the following six aspects: the development of climate change communication research; differences in public perceptions of climate change; factors influencing climate change communication; key elements of the climate change communication process; the important role of the media in climate change communication; and effective strategies for climate change communication. Finally, the shortcomings of this study are summarized and future research prospects on climate change communication are put forward from the perspectives of research methods, research contexts, and research paradigms.

‘Climate Change Perception and Changing Agents in Africa & South Asia’ presents first-hand experiences of climate change perception. Now more than ever understanding public perceptions of climate change is fundamental in creating effective climate policies, especially within countries that are particularly vulnerable to climate change. Striving to present a comprehensive study of climate perception in Africa and South Asia, this volume presents seven in-depth case studies from Cameroon, the Eastern Himalayas, Kenya, Nepal, and Zimbabwe. In order to combat climate change, effective communication is essential in order to educate, persuade, warn and mobilize the masses. Therefore, climate change communication is shaped not only by our different experiences and beliefs but also by the underlying cultural and politic values of a country. Within this volume, climate change communication is examined from Cameroonian, Kenyan and Zimbabwean perspectives. From the role of stakeholders to practical field experiences, the individual case studies present an interesting and informative portrait of climate change communication. It is often the poorest and most vulnerable people who are most affected by the impacts of climate change. Therefore, community-based adaptation is an approach that is aimed at empowering communities in the process of planning for and coping with climate change. In this book, this progressive and innovative approach is examined from a grass-roots perspective that looks to both the Eastern Himalayas and Zimbabwe. Readers are presented with case-studies that investigate the importance of indigenous knowledge, community-based research and the role of social workers in climate change mitigation. This high-quality resource puts forward a well-informed and accessible discussion of climate change perception that will be of interest to both students and scholars, alike.

2 - Perceptions of climate change

Climate change has emerged as one of the most critical environmental challenges facing the world today. Scientific evidence overwhelmingly confirms that global warming, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events are largely driven by human activities. However, public perception of climate change varies significantly across different societies, cultures, and political contexts. Understanding how individuals perceive climate change is essential for designing effective policies, communication strategies, and environmental initiatives. This research paper examines the factors that shape public perception of climate change, including media influence, education, political ideology, and cultural values. The study reviews existing literature on climate communication and environmental sociology to understand how people interpret climate information and respond to environmental risks. Research findings indicate that public perception is influenced not only by scientific knowledge but also by social, political, and psychological factors. Misinformation, political polarization, and media framing often shape how individuals interpret climate-related information. The paper concludes that improving climate literacy, strengthening science communication, and promoting public engagement are essential for addressing misconceptions and encouraging collective action against climate change.

This paper reviews the existing studies on scientific consensus on climate change within the framework of the gateway belief model which showed that majority of the existing studies on consensus messaging have focused and experimented in the global north. That led this study to explore public climate change perception and knowledge in Bangladesh from the existing research and examine whether the initiatives and interventions are required to be approached within the framework of the gateway belief model and thus, figure out the scope to test the gateway belief model to enhance public perception of climate change in Bangladesh. In order to identify the articles that align with the objective of this study and could answer the research question, the keywords “climate change perception” AND “climate change knowledge” AND Bangladesh were applied in Google Scholar database, and the prompt “climate change perception and knowledge of people in Bangladesh” was used in the Consensus (AI) tool, and the time frame was limited to the years between 2010 and 2025. The overall findings of the reviewed articles showed students’ perceptions of climate change vary between educational institutions in Bangladesh. Also, people that are experiencing the impact of climate change and living in high climate risk communities in Bangladesh have differences in climate change perception and knowledge due to several factors, for instance, cultural beliefs, education, economic situation, information gap, and so forth. This research concludes that in the developing country setting, explicitly Bangladesh, the gateway belief model could be tested by adapting to the localized settings applying social consensus and in-group consensus messaging to increase public perception of climate change and examine the effectiveness, which will provide a notion of whether or not the gateway belief model is relevant in the developing country context, namely Bangladesh.

BackgroundUnderstanding public perceptions of climate change and how individuals perceive it is critical to developing effective communication strategies, policies, and socially robust technologies to relieve the risks of climate change. Despite the growing literature on climate change, until now, researchers in Arab countries have not been interested in studying citizens’ perceptions of climate change or identifying the factors that predict it. This study aimed to identify and understand the nature and dynamics of public perceptions of climate change among Arab citizens and detect the level of climate change perception (CCP) and climate values (CV). Also, to detect the predictability of CCP from CV. As well as to reveal the differences between CCP and CV.MethodsA random sample consisted of 465 participants (236 male and 229 female), residents of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; their ages ranged from 30 years and over. The Climate Change Perception Questionnaire (CCPQ) and Climate Values Questionnaire (CVQ) were applied online.ResultsThe results found average levels of CCP and CV among the study sample. The results also revealed significant statistical differences in the CCP and CV due to gender in favor of females. As well as, there were significant statistical differences in the CCP due to the career field in favor of agriculture, engineering, and construction workers. Also, there were statistical differences in the emotional subscale of climate perception and CV due to age groups in favor of individuals whose ages ranged from 30 to 45 years. The results also found that the CV were a statistically significant predictor (1.2% of total variance) of climate perception.ConclusionThe current study showed an average level of CCP and CV among individuals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian. The findings also concluded that individuals’ perceptions of climate change are an individual response determined by the individual’s gender, age, and career field and are affected by his values about climate. These findings shed light on the need for climate communications to increase the level of CCP and CV, especially among males and individuals in the age group over 45 years and individuals working in various career fields, whether education, engineering and construction, and commerce and business, etc.; to improve the engagement in mitigation and adaptation measures to climate change.