The Dynamics of Public Perceptions and Climate Change in Swat Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Muhammad Suleman Bacha, Muhammad Muhammad, Zeyneb Kılıç and Muhammad Nafees
Additional contact information
Muhammad Suleman Bacha: Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
Muhammad Muhammad: Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
Zeyneb Kılıç: Department of Civil Engineering, Adiyaman University, Adiyaman 02040, Turkey
Muhammad Nafees: Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 8, 1-22

Abstract: With rising temperatures, developing countries are exposed to the horrors of climate change more than ever. The poor infrastructure and low adaptation capabilities of these nations are the prime concern of current studies. Pakistan is vulnerable to climate-induced hazards including floods, droughts, water shortages, shifts in weather patterns, loss of biodiversity, melting of glaciers, and more in the coming years. For marginal societies dependent on natural resources, adaptation becomes a challenge and the utmost priority. Within the above context, this study was designed to fill the existing research gap concerning public knowledge of climate vulnerabilities and respective adaptation strategies in the northern Hindukush–Himalayan region of Pakistan. Using the stratified sampling technique, 25 union councils (wards) were selected from the nine tehsils (sub-districts) of the study area. Using the quantitative method approach, structured questionnaires were employed to collect data from 396 respondents. The study reveals varying public perceptions about different factors contributing to the causes and impacts of climate change and the sources of information in the three zones of the study area. The primary causes of climate change are deforestation, industrial waste, anthropogenic impurities, natural causes, and the burning of fossil fuels exacerbated by increased population. Changes in temperature, erratic rainfalls, floods, droughts, receding glaciers, and extreme weather events are some of the impacts observed over the past decades. While limiting the indiscriminate use of fossil fuels combined with government-assisted rehabilitation of forests can help combat climate change, the lack of proper education and economic, social, and governance barriers are hindering the local adaptation strategies. In addition, reduce environmental pollution (air, water, soil, etc.) and plantation polluted areas with suitable plants, are the two main actions in combating climate change. This study recommends policy interventions to enhance local adaptation efforts through building capacity, equipping local environmental institutions, discouraging deforestation, and ensuring sustainable use of natural resources.

Keywords: climate change; public perception; climate vulnerability; climate adaptation; climate-induced hazards (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/8/4464/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/8/4464/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:8:p:4464-:d:537441

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().