UNDERSTANDING THE ADOPTION AND IMPACT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES ON CLIMATE CHANGE AWARENESS: EVIDENCE FROM UNIVERSITY GRADUATES IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

Climate change is a pressing issue that significantly impacts agriculture, health, biodiversity, water resources, forests, and the socioeconomic well-being of populations, particularly in developing and least developed nations. Raising public awareness of climate change through accurate knowledge is a key strategy to encourage proactive mitigation and adaptation efforts. This study investigates the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) by university graduates to enhance climate change awareness, focusing on the role of both educators and students in knowledge transfer within academic environments. The research was conducted across 15 major universities in Pakistan, using a structured questionnaire to collect data on demographic, socio-cultural, technological, and economic factors influencing graduates’ awareness and perceptions of climate change. A binary logistic regression analysis was used to assess the impact of ICTs on climate change awareness. The results indicate that access to smartphones, agricultural magazines, news bulletins, newspapers, television, and internet connectivity significantly enhances climate change awareness. However, access to radio and computers or laptops did not show a significant impact. Universities should integrate ICT-based training and outreach activities into their curricula, promoting technological solutions that address climate change challenges. Furthermore, collaboration between technological solution providers, environmental departments, and academic institutions is recommended to design ICT-driven strategies for raising climate change awareness among the youth.