Climate Change Risk Perception & Policy Support

Climate change is one of the most serious issues currently affecting the global population. Most individuals acknowledge that the impacts we are likely to experience as a result of climate change can imply devastating consequences, however most people do not sufficiently engage in climate ameliorating behaviours to result in a carbon neutral footprint. The underlying reason for this inconsistency is that we all have barriers that are inhibiting our actions, such as psychological distance which is defined as a cognitive separation between a person and events that are not in their direct surroundings, which can occur on multiple dimensions. In order to examine this, the following research question was proposed: What are the effects of psychological distance on climate change risk perception and climate change policy support? This thesis investigated the relationship between psychological distance and climate change risk perception and policy support using the data from the 2016 research project European Perceptions of Climate Change (EPCC). Results showed that great psychological distance was generally related to less climate change worry, lower perceived severity of climate change impact, and less policy support. The only exception for this was Geographical psychological distance, which did not predict impact evaluation, suggesting that the perception of climate change impact severity is not evaluated differently for their own country in comparison to others. This lays grounds for claiming that there is a relationship between psychological distance and climate change perceptions. The present thesis emphasizes the importance of investigating how individual psychological distance can be reduced as one of the key strategies to ameliorate global climate change impacts from individuals

Militarism or peace and justice: Psychology at the crossroads of climate change

Psychological research on climate change has shifted its focus toward the way climate change influences psychological well-being. An exclusive focus on the consequences of climate change is misleading because there is an urgent need to address causes of climate change. The leading institutional user of fossil fuel and the single largest producer of greenhouse gases is a military force. The common argument that individuals must think differently about climate change also applies to psychologists: Psychologists must start considering the impact of militarism on climate change and abandon their reluctance to address military pollution, environmental destruction, and the environmental impact of nuclear weapons. This reluctance is linked with the long-standing militarism within mainstream psychology. Psychologists cannot continue ignore or ally with militarism while militarism produces two global threats: A total nuclear war and climate change. Psychologists can find a more meaningful role in any society focusing on peace, justice and human rights, rather than militarism and national security. In the context of the environment, psychologists must choose to defend the planet, which is home to all. In the context of climate change, psychologists can chart a meaningful course of action only if they focus on environmental justice

An investigation into the relationship between climate change anxiety and mental health among Gen Z Filipinos

Climate change and mental health concerns are both defining issues of the generation of today. It has been established that the worsening climate causes many environmental disasters and physical health problems. However, its psychological impacts are still not well understood. Climate change has brought about an emerging psychological phenomenon termed ‘climate anxiety’ or ‘eco-anxiety,’ which has been described as a "chronic fear of environmental doom" (Clayton et al., 2017, p. 68) due to the impact of climate change. This predictive cross-sectional study investigated the link between climate change anxiety and mental health among 433 Filipinos. A total of 145 males and 288 females aged 18 to 26 completed the Climate Change Anxiety Scale and the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-38). Results show a significant relationship between climate change anxiety and mental health, with climate change anxiety predicting 13.5% of the overall Mental Health Index variance. Significantly, climate change anxiety was associated with the MHI-38’s global scale of Psychological Distress but not with the global scale of Psychological Well-being. The findings are discussed concerning the broader context of research on the mental health impacts of climate change

Health Impacts of Global Climate Change With a Focus on Women’s Health

Background: Global climate change has been occurring at an unprecedented rate and is damaging to human health. With women having specific health care needs, this literature review examines the relationship between women’s health (including maternal health) and global climate change through subtopics including global temperature and heat waves, carbon dioxide emissions and air pollution, natural disasters and extreme weather events, malnutrition and food insecurity, water supply and resource scarcity, and changing infectious disease patterns. Methods: A literature search was conducted across several online databases, predominantly PubMed, for articles related to global climate change and its role in women’s health. The majority of the references are from within the past decade. Discussion: Based on the literature review, global climate change has been found to play a significant role in women’s and maternal health and is disproportionately impacting the physical and psychological health of women. With the cause of global climate change being deemed largely anthropogenic, there have been numerous gender-based solutions proposed for this vulnerable population. Conclusion: Global climate change is simply another force working in combination with long-standing social and cultural gender roles to negatively impact the well-being of women. The suggested gender-based solutions are a good start in combating these detrimental health impacts but have yet to be universally implemented worldwide. Despite an increase in research on this topic throughout recent years, more targeted efforts are needed to devise cost effective solutions with an emphasis on the developing world where these special populations are enduring additional health risks

Nature-based solutions forming urban intervention approaches to anthropogenic climate change:a quantitative literature review

Discussion around anthropogenic climate change has occurred for over 100 years. However, in recent decades, these discussions have intensified due to increased confidence in scientific research highlighting adverse effects, increased knowledge breadth in climate science, and heightened public and political awareness and engagement on the topic. Climate change is now acknowledged as one of the biggest challenges and threats to modern lifestyles. Nature-based solutions (NBS), as a mediator and mitigator to adverse climate change effects, is an emerging area of expanding research collateral and practitioner literacy. To highlight current NBS knowledge, existing knowledge gaps, and research trends, a Quantitative Systematic Literature Review (QSLR) was undertaken (n = 54). This QSLR reveals the short temporal span of articles relating to NBS as a response to climate change, with most articles being of a research style format. NBS research focus areas were found to be dominated by ecological and infrastructure approaches to climate change mitigation, and ecological and technical positions were found to be most topical across the current climate change literature. Multiple knowledge gaps were identified by the review, namely the lack of broader conceptual approaches and knowledge acquisition regarding climate change responses via NBS, as well as the psychological relationship humans share with NBS and climate change, adverse or otherwise. These knowledge gaps highlight where future research inquiry may be directed to increase the value and completion of this research area. It is hoped that this QSLR will assist in increasing the profile of NBS in the multidisciplinary and complex response to anthropogenic climate change, as well as contribute to the growth in investment and implementation of NBS assets for a rigid and resilient global future

Climate Change and Mental Health: A Scoping Review.

Climate change is negatively impacting the mental health of populations. This scoping review aims to assess the available literature related to climate change and mental health across the World Health Organisation's (WHO) five global research priorities for protecting human health from climate change. We conducted a scoping review to identify original research studies related to mental health and climate change using online academic databases. We assessed the quality of studies where appropriate assessment tools were available. We identified 120 original studies published between 2001 and 2020. Most studies were quantitative (n = 67), cross-sectional (n = 42), conducted in high-income countries (n = 87), and concerned with the first of the WHO global research priorities-assessing the mental health risks associated with climate change (n = 101). Several climate-related exposures, including heat, humidity, rainfall, drought, wildfires, and floods were associated with psychological distress, worsened mental health, and higher mortality among people with pre-existing mental health conditions, increased psychiatric hospitalisations, and heightened suicide rates. Few studies (n = 19) addressed the other four global research priorities of protecting health from climate change (effective interventions (n = 8); mitigation and adaptation (n = 7); improving decision-support (n = 3); and cost estimations (n = 1)). While climate change and mental health represents a rapidly growing area of research, it needs to accelerate and broaden in scope to respond with evidence-based mitigation and adaptation strategies

“Save the Climate! Stop the Oil”: Actual Protest Behavior and Core Framing Tasks in the Portuguese Climate Movement

In this article, we focus on two demonstrations against climate change that took place in Portugal on the 12th of November 2016 and the 29th of April 2017. Two separate studies were conducted on the same protests. In Study 1, we conducted a quantitative study (N = 259), to examine the role of socio-demographics and socio-psychological predictors in predicting the actual protest. Participants were demonstrators (N = 158), as well as non-demonstrators (N = 101). Results indicated that moral motivation and identification as an environmentalist were the key variables in explaining actual protest. In Study 2, we conducted a framing analysis of the written manifestos (N = 2), to identify the core framing tasks which were used to inspire and legitimize the protests. The framing analysis suggests that the problems and paths for action were described by appealing to the interlinkage between the global and local dimensions of climate change, and that arguments of severity and urgency of the problem were the most salient. The implications of this research are discussed in relation to possible pathways for a more comprehensive understanding of the reasons why people engage in collective action in climate change related issues, and how these motives may relate to how social movements mobilize people for actionThis work was supported by a postdoctoral research fellowship [grant number SFRH/BPD/103371/2014] and by funds of the Center for Psychological Research and Social Intervention (Cis-IUL, Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL) – Ref. UID/PSI/03125/2013), both funded by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia)S

Influence of Psychological Factors on Climate Change Perceptions Held by Local Farmers in the Northeast of Thailand

Global climate change is considered one of the most critical socio-ecological challenges of the 21st century. In recent years extreme weather events have increased significantly in Thailand as in other parts of the world. In most cases, climatic variability has always been associated with its implications for agriculture. To date, however, there has been inconclusive understanding of farmers’ capacity to detect climate change and its potential impact. This study therefore explores how Thai farmers perceive global climate change and, further, to examine the influence of psychological factors on these perceptions. The study used mixed research methods, with both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Questionnaires were distributed to 70 randomly-selected agricultural households in Village 4 of the Nongbuasala sub-district, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. The survey results indicated that the majority of respondents view climate change in terms of extreme high temperatures and flooding. Regression analysis also revealed positive correlations between perceptions of climate change and six psychological variables of awareness in general and mitigation, belief in the reality of climate change and human causes, feelings of worry, and self-efficacy (0.201 ≤  r  ≤ .592; p ≤ 0.05). Conversely, in terms of perceived barriers, three components of cognitive dissonance (r = -0.831), belief in limitation of lifestyle changes (r = -0.305) and fear (r = -0.283) were found to be negatively correlated with climate change perceptions by Thai farmers. Recommendations to deal with those perceived barriers are also discussed

TAMBAK LOROK AS "FISHERMAN VILLAGE"

Global warming causes climate change and sea level rise. This is a threat for coastalregions, especially for coastal settlements with activities that are influenced by this natural phenomenon. Consequences are damage of houses, humid house environment, sustainability of the houses, obstructed economic activities and domestic works, disruption of sanitation facilities, lack of electricity, failure of transport system, psychological issues and other. Icons Tambak Lorok as " Fisherman Village " is not something familiar to residents of the city of Semarang . Especially for the housewife who every day have to buy the ingredients high in protein and omega fish auction which is adjacent to the main street market in the village ofTambak Lorok. However, there are major problems that are being experienced by this small neighborhood . In fact, this issue includes seven infrastructure that should spoil the fishermen in activity with marine life . With this research we will investigate water urbanism and climate change resiliency in Semarang, specifically the traditional fishercommunity of Tambak Lorok. We intend to find out how the local people in the fisher settlement Tambak Lorok deal with water urbanism, proverty and living with floods.Keywords: Fishercommunity, Environment, Climate Change, Settlemen

Communicating climate change : how proximising climate change and global identity predict engagement

The majority of scientists express an urgent need to limit climate change in order to ensure sustainable development, but our societies are not reacting decisively enough to achieve this goal. My research aims to understand how news about climate change can be communicated to convey scientific knowledge and support climate protection. Proximising climate change by focussing on local instead of global or remote consequences has been recommended as a promising communication strategy. The reasoning is that many people seem to perceive climate change as a phenomenon that affects mainly other people in far-off places (i.e., psychological socio-spatial distance). Proximising might bring climate change closer. However, the recommendation still lacked convincing empirical evidence. Thus, my research investigated the communication of proximity vs. distance in news coverage. Specifically, I examined the process assumed to be behind proximising effects, namely a reduction of the psychological socio-spatial distance of climate change, which might increase issue relevance and in turn promote climate protective behaviour and climate change knowledge. In Study 1 (N = 498), people were asked to what extent the news communicated climate change as something affecting mainly other people in distant locations. The more they perceived news communication as socio-spatially distant, the higher their psychological socio-spatial distance of climate change and the lower relevance they attributed to the issue. Perceived communicated socio-spatial distance was indirectly and negatively related with climate protective behavioural knowledge through higher psychological socio-spatial distance. Study 2 (N = 99) found no evidence that communicating socio-spatial proximity vs. distance of climate change in a news text influences psychological socio-spatial distance, relevance attributed to the news text, climate protective behaviour, and climate change knowledge. However, the test power was not sufficient to detect small effect sizes. In Study 3 (N = 508), proximising climate change in a news text decreased the psychological socio-spatial distance of climate change and indirectly and positively predicted climate protective behaviour as well as climate change knowledge through lower psychological socio-spatial distance and higher relevance attribution. While the indirect relations were small, stronger relations might arise if people repeatedly receive local information. I thus suggest that it is worthwhile to complement news about global climate change with reports about regional impacts. As a second objective, I aimed to illuminate whether the concept of a global identity helps to explain why proximising might not always be necessary or useful. I assumed that the more people identify with people all over the world, the more relevant they evaluate climate change to be and the more they are motivated to take climate protective action and acquire climate change knowledge. Moreover, I supposed that people with a strong global identity might evaluate climate change as relevant regardless of whether they perceive that the consequences mainly affect other people in distant places. In other words, a global identity might bridge the psychological socio-spatial distance of climate change. In Study 1, global identity positively predicted the relevance attributed to climate change and climate protective behaviour, as well as climate change knowledge indirectly through relevance attribution. In Study 2, the global identity dimension of self-investment positively predicted climate protective behaviour. However, global identity did not bridge the psychological socio-spatial distance of climate change in either study. I further reasoned that the negative relation between psychological socio-spatial distance and relevance attribution might be weaker if global identity is made salient. In other words, a salient global identity might bridge the psychological socio-spatial distance of climate change. In Study 3, before reading the news text, participants watched either a control video or a video showing a man dancing with people all over the world, which communicated a feeling of connectedness. While participants who received the control video evaluated the news text as less relevant as their psychological socio-spatial distance of climate change increased, there was no such relation among participants who received the connectedness video. Moreover, communicated proximity vs. distance in the news text did not indirectly predict climate protective behaviour and climate change knowledge in the latter group. This suggests that communicating connectedness might be a way to bridge the distance of climate change communication and render issues that are perceived as affecting mainly other people in far-off locations more relevant to recipients.Die Mehrheit der WissenschaftlerInnen formuliert einen dringenden Bedarf den Klimawandel zu begrenzen, um eine nachhaltige Entwicklung zu ermöglichen. Doch unsere Gesellschaften reagieren nicht entschieden genug, um dieses Ziel zu erreichen. Diese Arbeit geht der Frage nach, wie Nachrichten über den Klimawandel Wissen vermitteln und Klimaschutz motivieren können. Das Heranholen des Klimawandels durch einen Fokus auf lokale statt auf globale oder ferne Konsequenzen wurde als vielversprechende Kommunikationsstrategie empfohlen. Es wird argumentiert, dass viele Menschen den Klimawandel als Phänomen wahrnehmen, das hauptsächlich andere Menschen an fernen Orten betrifft (d. h. psychologische sozial-räumliche Distanz). Das Heranholen könnte ihnen den Klimawandel näherbringen. Jedoch mangelte es bislang an überzeugender empirischer Evidenz für diese Empfehlung. Meine Forschung untersuchte die Kommunikation von Nähe vs. Distanz in Nachrichten; im Speziellen den angenommenen Prozess des Heranholens, nämlich eine Reduktion der psychologischen sozial-räumlichen Distanz des Klimawandels, welche wiederum die Relevanz des Themas erhöhen und dadurch klimaschützendes Verhalten und Klimawissen fördern könnte. In Studie 1 (N = 498) wurden die Teilnehmenden gefragt, inwieweit die Nachrichten den Klimawandel als Phänomen kommunizieren, das vor allem andere Menschen an fernen Orten betrifft. Je mehr sie die Kommunikation der Nachrichten als sozial-räumlich fern erlebten, desto höher war ihre psychologische sozial-räumliche Distanz des Klimawandels und desto weniger relevant beurteilten sie das Thema. Eine höhere wahrgenommene kommunizierte sozial-räumliche Distanz hing indirekt über eine höhere psychologische sozial-räumliche Distanz mit weniger klimaschützendem Verhaltenswissen zusammen. In Studie 2 (N = 99) beeinflusste die Kommunikation sozial-räumlicher Nähe vs. Distanz in einem Nachrichtentext die psychologische sozial-räumliche Distanz, die Relevanz des Textes, klimaschützendes Verhalten und Klimawissen nicht. Allerdings reichte die Teststärke nicht aus, um mögliche kleine Effektgrößen aufzudecken. In Studie 3 (N = 508) verringerte das Heranholen des Klimawandels in einem Nachrichtentext die psychologische sozial-räumliche Distanz und prädizierte indirekt über diese reduzierte Distanz und eine höhere Relevanz der Nachricht, mehr klimaschützendes Verhalten und Klimawissen. Diese indirekten Zusammenhänge waren sehr klein. Größere Zusammenhänge könnten jedoch entstehen, wenn Personen wiederholt lokale Informationen rezipieren. Ich schlage daher vor, dass es sich lohnt Nachrichten über den globalen Klimawandel mit Berichten über regionale Auswirkungen zu ergänzen. Zweites Ziel war es zu untersuchen, ob das Konzept einer globalen Identität erklären kann, warum das Heranholen des Klimawandels nicht immer notwendig oder nützlich ist. Ich nahm an, dass Personen, die sich stärker mit Menschen auf der ganzen Welt identifizieren, das Thema Klimawandel relevanter beurteilen und motivierter sind sich für Klimaschutz zu engagieren und Klimawissen zu erwerben. Außerdem ging ich davon aus, dass Personen mit einer starken globalen Identität den Klimawandel unabhängig davon als relevant ansehen, ob die Auswirkungen vor allem andere Menschen an fernen Orten betreffen. Eine globale Identität könnte also die psychologische sozial-räumliche Distanz des Klimawandels überbrücken. In Studie 1 sagte eine globale Identität die Relevanz des Klimawandels und klimaschützendes Verhalten sowie indirekt über eine höhere Relevanz Klimawissen vorher. In Studie 2 prädizierte globales Selbst-Investment, eine Subdimension der globalen Identität, klimaschützendes Verhalten. Jedoch überbrückte eine globale Identität die psychologische sozial-räumliche Distanz des Klimawandels in keiner der beiden Studien. Ich ging zudem davon aus, dass der negative Zusammenhang zwischen psychologischer sozial-räumlicher Distanz und Relevanz geringer sein könnte, wenn eine globale Identität salient gemacht wird. Eine saliente globale Identität könnte also die psychologische sozial-räumliche Distanz überbrücken. In Studie 3 sahen die Teilnehmenden vor der Rezeption der Nachricht entweder ein Kontrollvideo oder ein Video, in dem ein Mann mit Menschen auf der ganzen Welt tanzt. Dieses Video kommunizierte Verbundenheit. In der Kontrollbedingung beurteilten Personen mit höherer psychologischer sozial-räumlicher Distanz des Klimawandels die Nachricht als weniger relevant. Für Personen, die das Verbundenheitsvideo gesehen hatten, ergab sich dieser Zusammenhang hingegen nicht. Außerdem sagte die kommunizierte Nähe vs. Distanz der Nachricht in dieser Gruppe nicht indirekt klimaschützendes Verhalten und Klimawissen vorher. Dieser Befund lässt darauf schließen, dass die Kommunikation von Verbundenheit eine Möglichkeit sein könnte, Distanz in der Klimawandelkommunikation zu überbrücken und Auswirkungen für Rezipierende relevanter zu machen, die andere Menschen an fernen Orten betreffen