The public perception of climate change

Weather ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 64 (6) ◽  
pp. 167-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Simons
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
The Public

Communicating about Nuclear Energy and Climate Change

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shirley S. Ho
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
General Public ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Public Acceptance ◽  
Media Images ◽  
The Public

In comparison to fossil fuels that emit greenhouse gases, nuclear power plants are a cleaner energy source that could help to mitigate the problems of climate change. Despite this, the general public often associates nuclear energy with risks that include nuclear accidents, nuclear waste contamination, nuclear weapons proliferation, and many others. People’s experience with the 1979 Three Mile Island incident in Pennsylvania and the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine have caused a sharp decline in public support for nuclear energy over the past few decades. In addition, media images of the 2011 Fukushima-Daichii nuclear accident are still fresh in the minds of the public. These now iconic media images and portrayals have perpetuated a perception of nuclear energy as a risky technology. Against these backdrops, scientists, communication practitioners and other key stakeholders increasingly face an uphill struggle to communicate about nuclear energy as a possible strategy for addressing climate change. Though the general public may reluctantly accept nuclear energy for climate change mitigation, research suggests that messages emphasizing the benefits of nuclear power for energy security and economic growth appear to have greater impact on public acceptance of the technology. Furthermore, public perception of nuclear energy is shaped by a host of other factors such as trust in nuclear governing institutions, knowledge, political inclinations, geographical proximity, and socio-demographic variables. At the same time, nuclear experts and the general public differ in their perceptions of risk, in nature and strength, relative to nuclear energy. Understanding these key differences between the experts and the public, and how beliefs, values, and perceptions influence public acceptance of nuclear energy is necessary to formulate effective public communication and engagement strategies.

scholarly journals Simple visualization of climate change for improving the public perception in forest pathology / Kliimamuutuste visualiseerimise lihtne viis seoste paremaks tajumiseks metsapatoloogias

2013 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Märt Hanso ◽  
Rein Drenkhan
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Plant Pathology ◽  
Climate Warming ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Statistical Relation ◽  
Forest Pathology ◽  
The Public ◽  
Natural Processes ◽  
Long Time

Abstract In several national and international meetings of forest and general plant pathology, when discussing possible causes of current arrivals of new alien pathogens in Estonia, we demonstrated the climate characteristic “monthly mean temperatures” as coloured grid-boxes, colours of which indicate the statistical relation of the definite months’ characteristic to its’ long time mean value. It was met with approval and evaluated as suitable and pictorial way for the visualization of shorter (until some few decades) drastically differing periods in climate warming for more trustworthy connecting of these two scientifically-experimentally only heavily connectable natural processes - climate warming and epidemics of alien forest pathogens. During the winters of the 20th century, apparently not only freezing, but also warming periods had caused serious aftermaths in forest pathology

The public perception of climate change: some further comments

Weather ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 64 (9) ◽  
pp. 250-250
Author(s):  
Garry E. Hunt
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
The Public

In Science We Trust—Or Don’t We?

Uncertainty ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 46-59
Author(s):  
Kostas Kampourakis ◽  
Kevin McCain
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
United States ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
The United States ◽  
Political Orientation ◽  
Science Knowledge ◽  
The Public ◽  
The People ◽  
Consensus View

Scientists are experts in their respective domains because they have the knowledge, credentials, experience, and affirmation of their peers. They are, therefore, the experts when it comes to scientific matters. But individual scientists cannot know everything. Consequently, what matters is not the views of individual scientists but the collective and consensus view of the scientific community. However, the public is divided on the issue of whether to trust science and scientists. Polls in the United States show that scientists are relatively highly respected compared to other professionals, but, at the same time, about half of the people only have some trust in scientists. Worse than that, political orientation rather than science knowledge seems to have a major impact on attitudes toward science. Finally, even though there is a consensus view among scientists on topics like climate change, the public perception is that scientists are divided on such issues.

scholarly journals Exploring the Relationship Between Tourism and Concern for the Global Natural Environment: a Case Study of Wellington Residents

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Tina Ronhovde Tiller
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Natural Environment ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
The Public ◽  
Carbon Offsetting ◽  
The People ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

<p>Climate change has been a concern for well over thirty years, but there has been limited research within the field of tourism with respect to climate change. In the last few years, there have been changes in the public perception of climate change, and an increasing awareness of the importance of addressing the problems that the world may face as a result of climate change. At current, the GHG emissions attributable to tourism are in the range of 4-6% of total global emissions, and rising. People are travelling ever more frequent, and to destinations far away from their residence. The world cannot sustain these trends, and thus research is needed to identify means to change tourism behaviours and reduce the impact of tourism on the global natural environment. This study aimed to explore the relationship between concern for the environment and tourism by taking recent holiday behaviours of Wellington residents into account. 308 residents returned useable questionnaires from the household surveys which were distributed to Wellington dwellings in July and August 2009. The study took the following steps to reach its aim: Firstly, recent holiday behaviours among Wellington residents were accounted for, including participation in leisure travel, distances travelled, and transport modes and accommodation used. Minimum emissions of CO2-E emissions caused by transportation to and from the main destination on the two most recent holidays taken by the respondents were estimated. Also, factors influencing choice of destination, transportation and accommodation were explored in relation to concern for the environment. Secondly, residents' perception of the significance of impact that climate change will have on their lives was explored. It was established that most people in the sample think that climate change will affect their lives to some extent. Thirdly, frequency of participation in carbon offsetting schemes and purchase of ecolabeled tourism products was explored to contribute to the knowledge about consumer awareness and attitudes towards tourism ecolabels and carbon offsetting schemes. Awareness and consumption was found to be low among the respondents. Fourthly, the study explored people's level of concern for the global natural environment, by investigating opinions held by the respondents about tourism and climate change and the impact of their holiday behaviours. Concern was established among the respondents. Concern for the environment was then explored in relation to holiday behaviours to establish whether environmental concern had an influence on the behaviours displayed by the respondents. No such relationship was found, and it was concluded that concern for the environment does not have an influence on people's behaviours. Lastly, preferred policy options were investigated. The people in the sample preferred voluntary policy measures, however very few are currently making use of the voluntary initiatives that are available to the public. The study concludes by highlighting the fact that more strict measures are needed in order to change current behaviours, seeing as concern for the environment does not affect the tourism behaviours of the people included in the sample.</p>

scholarly journals Framing Effects of Corporate Action on Climate Change: Implications for Consumer Attitudes and Behaviour

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Martin ◽  
Jayden Rae ◽  
Sekoul Krastev ◽  
Brooke Struck ◽  
Dan Pilat
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Policy Design ◽  
Public Image ◽  
Pricing Policy ◽  
Carbon Pricing ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Government ◽  
Policy Engagement

This study looked at the effects of framing on the public perception of corporate environmental compliance and government policy, closely mirroring the policy design of the Federal backstop of the Pan-Canadian Framework on Climate Change. There were three key findings. First, companies that simply pay their taxes as a penalty for emissions (“merely complying” with the policy) are considered to be less moral, to have less-acceptable practices and to be harming the environment. Alternatively, companies that invest to decrease their carbon footprint (“proactively engaging” with the policy) are more likely to be perceived as acting morally, having acceptable practices and helping the environment. Secondly, consumers were more willing to bring their business to proactive companies rather than the ones that were strictly complying. Finally, the response of companies also had an effect on citizens’ perception of the policy itself. If companies were engaging proactively rather than merely complying, consumers were more likely to view the carbon pricing policy as fair, to support the political party that implemented it, to ratethe policy as helping the environment, to rate it as helping Canada’s image and reflecting Canadian values, and to rate the policy as helping the economy. There are key implications for both industry and government stakeholders to draw from these findings. For industry, communicating proactive policy engagement improves public image and increases consumer support. For the government, communicating to industry the positive benefits—environmental, economic and social—of proactive engagement could increase overall private-sector engagement and thereby improve the public’s perception of the policy itself. Overall, this suggests that adherencewith and support for carbon pricing policies is a promising opportunity for the private sector to signal their environmental and social commitments.

scholarly journals Exploring the Relationship Between Tourism and Concern for the Global Natural Environment: a Case Study of Wellington Residents

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Tina Ronhovde Tiller
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Natural Environment ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
The Public ◽  
Carbon Offsetting ◽  
The People ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

<p>Climate change has been a concern for well over thirty years, but there has been limited research within the field of tourism with respect to climate change. In the last few years, there have been changes in the public perception of climate change, and an increasing awareness of the importance of addressing the problems that the world may face as a result of climate change. At current, the GHG emissions attributable to tourism are in the range of 4-6% of total global emissions, and rising. People are travelling ever more frequent, and to destinations far away from their residence. The world cannot sustain these trends, and thus research is needed to identify means to change tourism behaviours and reduce the impact of tourism on the global natural environment. This study aimed to explore the relationship between concern for the environment and tourism by taking recent holiday behaviours of Wellington residents into account. 308 residents returned useable questionnaires from the household surveys which were distributed to Wellington dwellings in July and August 2009. The study took the following steps to reach its aim: Firstly, recent holiday behaviours among Wellington residents were accounted for, including participation in leisure travel, distances travelled, and transport modes and accommodation used. Minimum emissions of CO2-E emissions caused by transportation to and from the main destination on the two most recent holidays taken by the respondents were estimated. Also, factors influencing choice of destination, transportation and accommodation were explored in relation to concern for the environment. Secondly, residents' perception of the significance of impact that climate change will have on their lives was explored. It was established that most people in the sample think that climate change will affect their lives to some extent. Thirdly, frequency of participation in carbon offsetting schemes and purchase of ecolabeled tourism products was explored to contribute to the knowledge about consumer awareness and attitudes towards tourism ecolabels and carbon offsetting schemes. Awareness and consumption was found to be low among the respondents. Fourthly, the study explored people's level of concern for the global natural environment, by investigating opinions held by the respondents about tourism and climate change and the impact of their holiday behaviours. Concern was established among the respondents. Concern for the environment was then explored in relation to holiday behaviours to establish whether environmental concern had an influence on the behaviours displayed by the respondents. No such relationship was found, and it was concluded that concern for the environment does not have an influence on people's behaviours. Lastly, preferred policy options were investigated. The people in the sample preferred voluntary policy measures, however very few are currently making use of the voluntary initiatives that are available to the public. The study concludes by highlighting the fact that more strict measures are needed in order to change current behaviours, seeing as concern for the environment does not affect the tourism behaviours of the people included in the sample.</p>

The public perception of climate change

Weather ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 64 (9) ◽  
pp. 251-251
Author(s):  
R.N. Simeone
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
The Public
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