Global public concerns about climate change: the role of education, direct experience, and indirect experience

Bruine de Bruin W., Patrycja Sleboda and Tsegaye Ginbo Gatiso

Journal of Risk Research, 2025, vol. 28, issue 3-4, 298-312

Abstract: Global climate action will likely be motivated by public concerns about climate change. To examine what may drive public concerns about climate change around the world, we present analyses of survey data collected in 121 countries for the 2021 Lloyd’s Register Foundation World Risk Poll. In line with dual-process theories of risk perception, we found that climate change concerns were predicted by education, which may facilitate deliberative processing, and direct experience with harm by severe weather, which may facilitate experiential processing. Knowing someone else who had been harmed by severe weather also predicted climate change concerns, highlighting the role of indirect experience. These relationshipsgenerally held across continents and countries varying in disaster-risk level. We conclude that climate change communications should target individuals with lower levels of education, and explain what climate change might mean for people’s experiences with severe weather, including themselves as well as others.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/13669877.2024.2431905

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