Climate Change Risk Perception Research Articles

Commercial cash crop production and households’ economic welfare: Evidence from the pulse farmers in rural China

Whether promoting cash crop production can increase household welfare has long been the focus of the food policy debate. This study first investigated the determinants of household behavior in commercial pulse farming. It then examined how households’ commercial pulse production improves their economic welfare. We used a dataset of 848 households collected from 2018 to 2019 to estimate the determinants of household behavior in commercial pulse farming by the Heckman two-step model. The endogenous treatment regression (ETR) method was employed to examine the impact of commercial pulse farming on household economic welfare. The results showed that factors such as market purchase prices, agricultural technology services, farmers’ access to loans, and government subsidies promoted smallholders’ commercial pulse farming; production costs and perceptions of climate change risks constrained smallholders’ commercial pulse production. Overall, commercial pulse production has increased household farm income but there was a limited impact on household off-farm income. Our findings suggest that policies aiming to increase households’ cash crop production and market access could significantly improve the economic welfare of pulse farmers.

The Role of Cultural Worldviews in the Risk Perception and Denial of Climate Change

This study analyzed the effect of cultural worldviews on risk perception and denial of climate change through an online survey. We found that individualistic worldviews significantly affect individuals’ climate change risk perceptions, even when we controlled demographic and psychological factors. However, our analysis also indicated that cultural worldviews alone do not significantly impact on climate change denial, rather interactions with collective efficacy and uncertainty is significant in this regard. Specifically, among individuals with higher levels of uncertainty, those with higher hierarchical tendencies were more likely to deny climate change than those with lower hierarchical tendencies. Meanwhile, among individuals with low collective efficacy, those with higher hierarchical tendencies were more likely to deny climate change than those with lower hierarchical tendencies. This paper concludes by discussing the results from the perspective of the Korean context and explaining the practical implications of our findings for policymakers and climate change communicators.

From perceiving the risk of climate change to pro-environmental behavior

"Abstract: In the first study we examined whether knowledge, social norms, value orientations and emotional affect about climate change (climate change) predict climate change risk perception among Transylvanian students. In the second study we examined whether climate change risk perception, psychological adaptation, mitigation beliefs and behavioral intention predict, both directly and indirectly, pro-environmental behavior (PEB). We also examined whether knowledge, deep engagement and affective involvement influence PEB. In the first study N = 84 (age M = 19.43, SD = 1.03), while in the second study N = 72 (M = 19.79, SD = 1.47), and N = 31 (M = 19.61, SD = 1.17) individuals participated. The participants filled the scales online. Internal consistency of the scales was found to be good. During the intervention the research group received brief synopses on climate change in writing, through e-mail, for five days. The results show that biosphere values and demographics significantly predict climate change risk perception. The intervention significantly increased PEB in the research group and this effect persisted for over a month."

Effects of Perceptions of Climate Change and Flood Risk on Coping Behavior: A Case Study of Taipei, Taiwan

Globalization and population growth have put great pressure on the environment over the last few decades, and climate change has increased associated negative effects. Researchers examine the interactions between human and the environment. Among them, the relationship between place attachment and pro-environmental behavior has attracted particular research attention. However, few studies have addressed the relationships among flood risk perceptions, place attachment, and climate change coping behavior in a densely populated urban area. This study examines the effects of perceptions of climate change and flood risk on coping behavioral intention, and determines whether place attachment plays a mediating or moderating role therein in Taipei, the flood-prone capital city of Taiwan. A total of 1208 questionnaires were collected. An analysis of the mediation effects based on a three-level regression model (Phase I) suggested that place attachment is not a mediator. Adjustment of the model and analysis of moderation effects using structural equation modeling (Phase II) suggested no moderation effect. In Phase III, the mediation effect was reexamined, with the replacement of dependent variables (adaptation/mitigation) with high-effort/low-effort coping behaviors, and one dimension of place attachment was replaced with four dimensions thereof (place dependence and place identity, place satisfaction, place affect, place social bonding). The results thus obtained reveal that the paths of place satisfaction exhibit significant mediating effects between attitudes and high-effort coping behavior. Some paths exhibit significant mediating effects between perceptions and low-effort coping behavior through place satisfaction. Another four paths exhibit partial significant mediating effects through place dependence and place identity and place social bonding. These results suggest that affective attachment of people to local places results in a behavioral tendency to protect or improve those places. The main contribution of this study is its support of meta-analyses of the effects of each dimension of place attachment to provide a better understanding of the effects of place attachment on flood risk perception and coping behavior.

The Influence of a Climate Change Narrative on the Stated Preferences for Long-term Groundwater Management.

The literature identifies cultural values and beliefs as key drivers of climate change risk perception, but evidence is lacking about how media narratives and cultural values influence preferences for adapting to environmental consequences of climate change, including groundwater shortage. We elicited groundwater preferences using a choice experiment survey involving outcomes of the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer. We randomly assigned respondents to an individualistic cultural narrative about climate change to test for framing effects predicted by culturally congruent and incongruent messaging. Results suggest that culturally incongruent messaging (i.e., to non-individualists) emboldens opposition and makes promoted groundwater policies less tractable. This is instructive to policy makers that identifying different stakeholders and avoiding incongruent messages about climate change could improve the effectiveness of collaborative water governance.

Climate change risk perception and adaptive behavior of coffee farmers: the mediating role of climate-related attitudinal factors and moderating role of self-efficacy

Climate change risk perception and adaptive behavior of coffee farmers: the mediating role of climate-related attitudinal factors and moderating role of self-efficacy

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

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.

A Research Agenda for Affective Dimensions in Climate Change Risk Perception and Risk Communication

There is a growing body of literature that examines the role of affect and emotions in climate change risk perception and risk communication. Conceptions of affect and emotions have differed according to theoretical perspectives and disciplinary orientations (e.g., sociology of risk, psychology of risk, climate science communication), but little has been done to map these differences. This perspective article provides an in-depth analysis of the study of affect and emotions in climate change risk research through a literature review of studies published in the last 20 years. In this perspective, we examined how affect is conceived, what emotions have been considered, and their role in climate change risk perception and risk communication. Early studies in climate risk perception and risk communication included vaguely defined emotions (e.g., negative and positive) in climate risk perception and risk communication studies, more recently turning attention to how different affective dimensions interact with other factors, such as personal experience, knowledge, culture and worldviews, gender, and social norms. Using this review as a mapping exercise of the research landscape on affect and emotions in climate risk perception and communication, we suggest that future research could benefit from more interdisciplinary work that explores the role of different affective responses and their intensities before, during, and after climate-related events.

Smallholder Farmers’ Perceived Climate-Related Risk, Impact, and Their Choices of Sustainable Adaptation Strategies

Bangladesh is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries on the globe. The country is frequently affected by numerous climatic events including floods, droughts, cyclones, etc., which damages the farm household’s livelihood and socio-economic condition. Therefore, this work intends to appraise the smallholder farmers’ perceived climate-related risk, impact, and the factors that influence their choices of adaptation strategies to cope with the adverse impact of the climatic extreme events in northern Bangladesh. Survey data were collected from 300 respondents from two drought-prone districts of northern Bangladesh in January–February 2020. The climate-related risk perception index (CRRPI) was constructed to assess the farmers’ perceived risk. The multinominal logit (MNL) model was employed to explore the factors influencing farmers’ choices of adaptation strategies. Farmers’ perceptions of climate change risk were found to be consistent with meteorological data in the research area. Results of the CRRPI revealed that flood, drought, riverbank erosion, and heat waves were the critical risks perceived by the farmers. Farmers used a variety of adaptation measures to deal with these climatic threats, including agricultural diversification, changes in fertilizer and insecticides, and crop and seed changes. The MNL model results showed that the factors that influenced a farmer’s choices of adaptation strategies were age, education level, family members, income level, year of farming experience, and the farmer’s information on climate change. This study also demonstrated that water scarcity in the dry period and the frequency of crop diseases were the major limiting factors experienced by the farmers whilst undertaking adaptation strategies. Thus, awareness and capacity building through training and support to adopt the adaptation strategies are essential to enhance the resilience of the farmers.

The Roles of Mental Construal Level Theory in the Promotion of University Students' Pro-environmental Behaviors.

Although green technological innovation is designed to combat climate change, recent research suggests that increased attention to technological innovations might decrease climate change risk perception and reduce pro-environmental behaviors due to the feeling of being assured, which is referred to as risk compensation behavior. Although there has been a growing interest in reducing the risk compensation effect related to climate change, the academic literature in this area is very limited. In this study, we propose a psychological intervention to mitigate a sample of university students' (N = 1,500) irrational response to green technological innovation so as to promote their pro-environmental behaviors. Our experiments identify students' mental construal level as an important psychological factor that, when combined with a proper message framing strategy of introducing new green technologies, can remedy their irrational response to new green technologies. Our findings suggest that highlighting the new technology as playing a preventive/promotional role related to climate change can mitigate risk compensation behavior and eventually promote students' pro-environmental behaviors when they are at a high/low mental construal level.

Drivers of Climate Change Risk Perceptions among Diverse Forest Stakeholders in Maine, USA

Climate change is impacting forest ecosystems, which support key ecosystem services and the general well-being of natural resource-dependent communities in Northeastern, USA. Understanding the determinants of climate change risk perceptions among forest resource stakeholders is critical to eliciting broad support for adaptation. We examined social-psychological drivers of climate change risk perceptions using hierarchical regression based on an online survey of 211 forest stakeholders, representing a wide range of subsectors, in Maine, USA. Using the climate change risk perceptions model (CCRPM), we explained 70% of the variance in risk perception. Political orientation, belief in climate change, social norms, affect, and experience with weather-related impacts were all significant predictors of perceived risk. Mediation results demonstrate that experience with weather-related impacts influences risk perceptions indirectly via attribution and holistic affect. This study advances our understanding of the social-psychological determinants of climate change risk perceptions, with implications for communication and outreach strategies.

The Relationships between Public Risk Perceptions of Climate Change, Environmental Sensitivity and Experience of Extreme Weather-Related Disasters: Evidence from Greece

Climate change is one of the most pressing threats facing humanity in our times. Understanding public perceptions of climate change and its risks is the key to any mitigation and adaptation initiatives. Previous works discussed the influence of experiencing climate-related disasters, as well as the role of environmental sensitivity, but also acknowledged important regional variations, gaps and uncertainties. This work focuses on examining the relationship between personal disaster experience, risk perceptions of climate change and ideology with respect to the environment using the New Ecological Paradigm. The study exploits the results of a questionnaire survey in Greece, a characteristic example of the multihazard region of the Eastern Mediterranean. Results show that both direct disaster experience and a person’s views on the causes of recent disasters in the country are connected with environmental sensitivity and climate change risk perception in a positive way. Both factors are also correlated with views on the effects of climate change. The findings are in agreement with research outcomes in other areas of the world, showing the importance of disaster experience and the views on extreme events in influencing perceptions of climate change. The work contributes to the growing literature on risk perception of climate change and the role of natural hazards, by adding a new piece in the knowledge puzzle in the climate-sensitive and relatively data-poor region of the Eastern Mediterranean.

COASTAL TOURISM AND CLIMATE CHANGE: RISK PERCEPTIONS OF TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS IN SOUTH AFRICA’S GARDEN ROUTE

Coastal tourism destinations are highly vulnerable to the ramifications of climate change. Research conducted in South Africa has identified the potential losses associated with climate change on beach or coastal environments as one of the largest concerns for the tourism industry. In addressing the challenge of climate change a critical research issue is advancing our understanding of the risk perceptions of tourism stakeholders. The aim is to investigate risk perceptions of business stakeholders towards climate change impacts in one of South Africa’s leading coastal destinations, the Garden Route District Municipality in Western Cape province. The results are analysed from 30 qualitative interviews conducted with tourism business owners and managers. Four core themes were scrutinised, namely awareness of climate change, perceptions of the potential climate change risks, the prioritisation of climate change as compared to other business risks, and greening and adaptive measures pursued by businesses. Overall, climate change is not considered as a major issue for tourism businesses in the Garden Route especially as compared to the immediate or pressing challenges relating to marketing, infrastructural deficits, government regulations and local human resource development for tourism. This conclusion raises significant concerns for the resilience of coastal tourism destinations and local economic development futures in South Africa.

Early climate change indicators in the Arctic: A geographical perspective

Climate change is continuing to impact the social-ecological systems of polar regions. Climate models project substantial warming above the global average and high rates of environmental change in polar regions, but local impacts remain uncertain. These rapid alterations will affect biophysical, economic, and sociocultural conditions. This research aims to uncover early climate change indicators through climate model projections and individuals' perceptions by focusing on a sample of 39 municipalities north of the Arctic Circle in Norway, Sweden, Finland, and northwestern Russia. The study employs an exploratory sequential approach by combining representations of climate model projections in a geographic information system (GIS) with qualitative analysis from semi-structured interviews with local officials involved in planning decisions for each municipality. And, second, the study combined perceptions of early climate change indicators and their subsequent challenges and opportunities with regional climate projections. Results indicate an overall geographic ‘match’ between climate model projections and perceptions, but differences between north-to-south, coast-to-interior, and national perspectives are notable. Some of these differences point to the roles of nationally, regionally, and locally embedded geographies, producing a multitude of lived experiences. The implications of this study are relevant to global communities experiencing varying climate change risk perception from coastal-versus-interior regions.

How and when higher climate change risk perception promotes less climate change inaction

Climate change has been positioned as one of the most severe environmental threats facing us today. To address climate change, enhancing climate change risk perception and reducing climate change inaction are both critical. However, little research has touched on the issue of whether climate change risk perception is linked to climate change inaction in a negative manner. Moreover, there is still much unknown about the complex process behind this relationship, and the boundary conditions of this process awaits clarification. To address these gaps in the literature, two studies were conducted to first confirm the possible negative association between climate change risk perception and climate change inaction and, second, explore through a parallel mediational model whether climate change belief and environmental efficacy mediate simultaneously the relation between climate change risk perception and climate change inaction. Finally, a moderated sequential mediational model was used to investigate whether climate change risk perception is associated with climate change inaction through the sequential mediation of climate change belief and environmental efficacy, and to clarify underlying boundary conditions by analyzing the moderation of mindfulness as well. The results showed that, as expected, higher levels of climate change risk perception were related to less climate change inaction, and this relation was mediated by enhanced climate change belief and heightened environmental efficacy in a sequential manner. Furthermore, the sequential mediating effect of climate change belief and environmental efficacy was stronger among those who had a higher level of mindfulness. These findings advance the emerging research on climate change inaction by elucidating the mechanisms underlying the effect of climate change risk perception. Moreover, they extend the Domain-Context-Behavior (DCB) model and Gateway belief model (GBM). In practice, climate change education and climate change inaction interventions can be designed and implemented to nudge clean production, green supply chain and green consumption, which finally contribute to sustainable development and the ‘green transformation’ of society.

Determinants of visitor climate change risk perceptions in Acadia National Park, Maine, USA

Nature-based tourism is one of the most economically important industries in the state of Maine, USA. Climate change impacts are projected to affect important tourism assets in Maine, which could result in behavioral shifts related to destination selection, seasonal visitation, and activity participation. Risk perceptions can be important predictors in visitor travel decisions. Recent tourism studies have focused on the effects of climate impacts on risk perceptions, but few have examined the social-psychological drivers of climate change risk perceptions. Drawing on social-psychological theories, we address this gap by understanding visitor climate change risk perceptions in Maine. We surveyed visitors to Acadia National Park in the summer of 2018 to assess the impact of socio-demographics, cognition, experience, and socio-cultural factors on visitor climate change risk perceptions. We used two-stage cluster probability sampling and intercepted 1317 visitors on site; 480 participants completed the online follow-up survey. Using hierarchical regression, we explained 45.5% of the variance in visitors’ climate change risk perceptions at a nature-based tourism destination. Visitors identifying as female, having higher levels of belief in climate change, more first-hand experience with climate impacts, and a higher altruistic values orientation amplified risk perceptions. Understanding determinants of climate change risk perceptions within an outdoor recreation setting has implications for offering high quality visitor experiences while maintaining the integrity of the natural resource base upon which visitation relies. Risk perceptions can be important predictors of visitor travel behavior. Climate change is expected to impact nature-based tourism visitor experiences and travel decisions, natural and cultural resources that serve as attractions, and visitor safety in protected areas. Understanding the drivers of climate change risk perceptions are important for managing visitors and their recreation behaviors while providing satisfactory tourism experiences. If park managers and other tourism stakeholders want to convey information about climate change with the goal of influencing perceptions and behaviors, we suggest that they focus on visitors’ past experiences with climate change impacts and appeals to altruistic values, rather than solely providing climate change facts. Understanding how to motivate visitor compliance with park policies and visitor resource use guidelines will be critical in maintaining positive visitor experience in nature-based tourism settings and protecting the integrity of natural and cultural resources from changes in visitation, such as increased tourist numbers. • Climate change risk perceptions will likely influence visitor behaviors. • We sampled visitors to Acadia National Park to measure social-psychological factors contributing to climate change risk perceptions. • Identifying as female, belief in climate change, experience with climate impacts, and altruistic values increased visitors' risk perceptions.

The Possibility of Consensus Regarding Climate Change Adaptation Policies in Agriculture and Forestry among Stakeholder Groups in the Czech Republic.

As ongoing research efforts contribute to elucidating the consequences of climate change as well as adaptation and mitigation options, aligning the current research knowledge with stakeholder opinions and perceptions remains critical for adopting effective climate change policies. This paper utilizes an interactive survey to (1) address the aforementioned gap in studies involving three groups of stakeholders and opinion makers and (2) perform a comparative primary study of the climate change assumptions, risk perceptions, policy preferences, observations, and knowledge of Czech farmers, governmental policy-makers and researchers. This study shows that the stakeholder groups agree that the climate is clearly changing, attribute this change mostly to man-made causes and expect the negative effects to either prevail or be unevenly geographically distributed. The large majority of all three groups consider unmitigated climate change a major threat even by 2050 and agree that preparing in advance is the best sectoral strategy. Importantly, while investment in adaptation measures is considered the most efficient tool for accelerating the implementation of adaptation measures, the CAP and EU rules (as valid in 2016) are believed to hinder such measures. The results of this study have ramifications for the wider region of Central Europe.

Urban resilience: assessing climate vulnerabilities and risk perceptions in the city of Haifa, Israel

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Extreme climate events (wildfires, floods, heatwaves, cold spells) are becoming more frequent in the Mediterranean, but adaptation levels remain low. The city of Haifa in northern Israel is prone to extreme climate events. Focusing on Haifa, we aim to 1) conduct a spatial analysis of climate and health vulnerabilities, 2) examine local officials’ risk perceptions of different extreme events, and 3) assess the public's perceived risk and resilience METHODS: Mixed-METHODS: 1) spatial mapping of vulnerability indicators including socio-economic status, recipients of welfare allowances, temperature, sensitivity to floods and wildfires, proximity to hospitals. 2) qualitative analysis of 30 in-depth interviews with local government health and welfare officials, and 3) a survey of climate risk perceptions and resilience among a representative sample of 550 residents. RESULTS:Social and climatic vulnerabilities are correlated, so that downtown neighborhoods are characterized by poorer socio-economic, health and welfare conditions, and higher summer temperatures. Hospitals are prepared for emergencies, but not for extreme climate events, and there are no national budget or guidelines for climate adaptation at the city level or in hospitals. Correspondingly, risk perceptions of climate change among health and welfare officials remain low. Public perceptions of danger (2.64±0.82), community resilience (2.96±0.76) and national resilience (3.28±0.84) are moderate (1-5 scale), and correlated with ethnicity and age. Residents of neighborhoods with poorer socio-economic conditions report higher community resilience compared to others. CONCLUSIONS:Haifa is a geographically and socially diverse city, with multiple vulnerabilities to climate change. However, climate risk perceptions remain low among health and welfare officials and among residents. Good preparedness for events that had been experienced in the past including war and wildfire, provides a good infrastructure for climate change awareness and adaptation. The city should develop and implement an adaptation plan that will address the vulnerabilities of different populations and neighborhoods, and enhance urban resilience. KEYWORDS: Adaptation, climate change, public policy, risk perceptions, urban resilience, vulnerability assessment.

Linking risk preferences and risk perceptions of climate change: A prospect theory approach

AbstractThis article explores how farmer risk preferences are related to their perception of risk of climate change. We measure risk preferences and risk perceptions using a survey and a lab‐in‐the‐field experiment conducted with one of the most vulnerable groups to climate change in Latin America. We find that farmers that behave in accordance with the assumptions of Prospect Theory —a paradigm where risk preferences are characterized by risk aversion, loss aversion, and probability distortion—are more likely to perceive greater risks of climate change. Our results contribute to the understanding of farmer behavior in developing countries. Moreover, since perception of a risk is a necessary prerequisite for deciding on actions to adapt to climate risk, the results have important policy implications for the development and adoption of new technologies aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change (climate‐smart agricultural technologies).

Social and ecological dominance orientations: Two sides of the same coin? Social and ecological dominance orientations predict decreased support for climate change mitigation policies

In this article, we examine the roles of social dominance orientation (SDO) and ecological dominance orientation (EDO) as predictors of climate change risk and threat perceptions and associated pro-environmental policy support. EDO is a novel measure that we devised based on social dominance theory to assess general preferences for an anthropocentric, hierarchical arrangement between humans, non-human animals, and the natural environment. Across two pre-registered studies ( N = 715; USA and Germany) our results indicate that SDO and EDO are uniquely associated with decreased support for climate change mitigation policies benefitting humans, non-human animals, and the natural environment. These relationships in turn are partially mediated by decreased climate change risk and threat perceptions. We successfully replicate our findings using a more behavioral measure as dependent variable. Notably, using a more behavioral measure (Study 2), EDO was significantly associated with pro-environmental behavior but not SDO, when threats are accounted for as mediators.