Public Perception of Climate Change in a Period of Economic Crisis
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Data and Methodology
Variables | Questions |
---|---|
First Part: General questions about the environment | |
Q1.1 * | Is the degradation of water resources a major environmental problem in Greece? |
Q1.2 * | Is air pollution a major environmental problem in Greece? |
Q1.3 * | Is unhealthy nutrition a major environmental problem in Greece? |
Q1.4 * | Are climate change and extreme weather events major environmental problems in Greece? |
Q1.5 * | Is the destruction of ecosystems a major environmental problem in Greece? |
Q1.6 * | Is solid waste a major environmental problem in Greece? |
Q1.7 * | Is noise pollution a major environmental problem in Greece? |
Q2 ** | How would you rate the quality of the environment in Greece? |
Q3.1 * | How informed do you feel about the greenhouse effect? |
Q3.2 * | How informed do you feel about climate change? |
Second Part: Severity of possible impacts of climate change on Greece | |
Q4.1 * | Do you think that Greece will be affected by an increase in the average temperature? |
Q4.2 * | Do you think that Greece will be affected by extreme weather events such as floods or droughts? |
Q4.3 * | Do you think that Greece will be affected by a sea level rise? |
Q4.4 * | Do you think that Greece will be affected by a reduction in arable land or desertification? |
Q4.5 * | Do you think that Greece will be affected by a destruction of ecosystems? |
Q5.1 * | Do you trust national government agencies to tackle climate change? |
Q5.2 * | Do you trust the local authorities to tackle climate change? |
Q5.3 * | Do you trust the scientific community to tackle climate change? |
Q5.4 * | Do you trust environmental organizations to tackle climate change? |
Q6.1 * | To what extent do you think the state is responsible to deal with climate change? |
Q6.2 * | To what extent do you think citizens are responsible to deal with climate change? |
Third Part: Effectiveness of the actions undertaken against climate change | |
Q7.1 * | Are the introduction of stricter environmental legislation and heavier fines for offenders effective actions at state level against climate change? |
Q7.2 * | Is the provision of more information to the public about climate change an effective action at state level against climate change? |
Q7.3 * | Are energy conservation and the use of renewable energy resources effective actions at state level against climate change? |
Q7.4 * | Is the integrated solid waste management an effective action at state level against climate change? |
Q7.5 * | Are the creation of green belts and reforestation effective actions at state level against climate change? |
Q7.6 * | Is the protection of drinking water an effective action at state level against climate change? |
Q8.1 * | Is energy saving an effective individual action against climate change? |
Q8.2 * | Is recycling (waste and appliances) an effective individual action against climate change? |
Q8.3 * | Is the protection and conservation of water an effective individual action against climate change? |
Q8.4 * | Is the use of public transport or bicycles an effective individual action against climate change? |
Fourth Part: Willingness to participate in actions against climate change | |
Q9 * | Do you participate or are you willing to participate in individual actions to address climate change? |
Q10.1 * | How much do you agree with the following statement: “Individual actions against climate change are ineffective if those who are primarily responsible for the problem, such as the industry, the state etc., do not participate or do not take a more active role”. |
Q10.2 * | How much do you agree with the following statement: “Participation in individual actions against climate change must be accompanied by financial or other benefits”. |
Q10.3 * | How much do you agree with the following statement: “I do not worry about climate change because I do not think it will affect me”. |
Fifth Part: Socio-demographic data | |
Age classification | |
Gender classification | |
The educational level of residents | |
Location of residence | |
Residents’ occupation |
3. Results and Discussion
Question | Evaluation of Responses * | Mean Value | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||
Description | Code | Not at all | Little | Enough | Much | Very Much | |
Is the degradation of water resources a major environmental problem in Greece? | Q1.1 | 2.53 | 6.63 | 27.68 | 34.70 | 28.46 | 3.80 |
Is air pollution a major environmental problem in Greece? | Q1.2 | 0.19 | 4.29 | 15.98 | 36.84 | 42.69 | 4.18 |
Is unhealthy nutrition a major environmental problem in Greece? | Q1.3 | 1.17 | 8.38 | 29.43 | 33.92 | 27.10 | 3.77 |
Are climate change and extreme weather events major environmental problems in Greece? | Q1.4 | 1.75 | 18.13 | 31.19 | 29.43 | 19.49 | 3.47 |
Is the destruction of ecosystems a major environmental problem in Greece? | Q1.5 | 0.58 | 3.70 | 24.56 | 35.67 | 35.48 | 4.02 |
Is solid waste a major environmental problem in Greece? | Q1.6 | 0.39 | 4.68 | 18.32 | 35.48 | 41.13 | 4.12 |
Is noise pollution a major environmental problem in Greece? | Q1.7 | 2.73 | 15.98 | 35.67 | 29.63 | 15.98 | 3.40 |
How would you rate the quality of the environment in Greece? | Q2 ** | 22.42 | 30.21 | 38.79 | 5.85 | 2.73 | 2.36 |
How informed do you feel about the greenhouse effect? | Q3.1 | 7.21 | 20.86 | 37.43 | 21.05 | 13.45 | 3.13 |
How informed do you feel about climate change? | Q3.2 | 3.90 | 19.30 | 42.88 | 22.22 | 11.70 | 3.19 |
Do you think that Greece will be affected by an increase in the average temperature? | Q4.1 | 0.00 | 9.94 | 32.55 | 38.60 | 18.91 | 3.66 |
Do you think that Greece will be affected by extreme weather events such as floods or droughts? | Q4.2 | 0.19 | 8.58 | 34.70 | 39.57 | 16.96 | 3.65 |
Do you think that Greece will be affected by a sea level rise? | Q4.3 | 2.73 | 24.56 | 37.82 | 25.15 | 9.75 | 3.15 |
Do you think that Greece will be affected by a reduction in arable land or desertification? | Q4.4 | 4.09 | 15.59 | 30.41 | 29.63 | 20.27 | 3.46 |
Do you think that Greece will be affected by a destruction of ecosystems? | Q4.5 | 0.39 | 6.82 | 34.11 | 37.62 | 21.05 | 3.72 |
Do you trust national government agencies to tackle climate change? | Q5.1 | 55.75 | 35.28 | 7.21 | 0.97 | 0.78 | 1.56 |
Do you trust the local authorities to tackle climate change? | Q5.2 | 45.61 | 37.62 | 13.26 | 2.73 | 0.78 | 1.75 |
Do you trust the scientific community to tackle climate change? | Q5.3 | 7.41 | 25.34 | 37.04 | 22.42 | 7.80 | 2.98 |
Do you trust environmental organizations to tackle climate change? | Q5.4 | 7.99 | 19.30 | 33.14 | 28.46 | 11.11 | 3.15 |
To what extent do you think the state is responsible to deal with climate change? | Q6.1 | 2.34 | 4.29 | 9.55 | 28.46 | 55.36 | 4.30 |
To what extent do you think citizens are responsible to deal with climate change? | Q6.2 | 3.70 | 5.26 | 16.37 | 32.94 | 41.72 | 4.04 |
Are the introduction of stricter environmental legislation and heavier fines for offenders effective actions at state level against climate change? | Q7.1 | 5.85 | 14.81 | 16.18 | 29.24 | 33.92 | 3.71 |
Is the provision of more information to the public about climate change an effective action at state level against climate change? | Q7.2 | 1.56 | 7.80 | 18.52 | 30.41 | 41.72 | 4.03 |
Are energy conservation and the use of renewable energy resources effective actions at state level against climate change? | Q7.3 | 0.78 | 2.73 | 9.36 | 29.24 | 57.89 | 4.41 |
Is the integrated solid waste management an effective action at state level against climate change? | Q7.4 | 0.39 | 3.90 | 12.28 | 31.58 | 51.85 | 4.31 |
Are the creation of green belts and reforestation effective actions at state level against climate change? | Q7.5 | 0.39 | 2.34 | 6.24 | 23.20 | 67.84 | 4.56 |
Is the protection of drinking water an effective action at state level against climate change? | Q7.6 | 1.17 | 2.92 | 6.43 | 20.08 | 69.40 | 4.54 |
Is energy saving an effective individual action against climate change? | Q8.1 | 0.97 | 4.48 | 20.27 | 36.65 | 37.62 | 4.05 |
Is recycling (waste and appliances) an effective individual action against climate change? | Q8.2 | 0.39 | 3.70 | 15.01 | 35.67 | 45.22 | 4.22 |
Is the protection and conservation of water an effective individual action against climate change? | Q8.3 | 1.36 | 4.68 | 11.89 | 35.67 | 46.39 | 4.21 |
Is the use of public transport or bicycle an effective individual action against climate change? | Q8.4 | 1.75 | 5.07 | 18.32 | 31.58 | 43.27 | 4.10 |
Do you participate or are you willing to participate in individual actions to address climate change? | Q9 | 7.60 | 15.79 | 38.99 | 22.81 | 14.81 | 3.21 |
How much do you agree with the following statement: “Individual actions against climate change are ineffective if those who are primarily responsible for the problem, such as the industry, the state etc, do not participate or do not take a more active role”. | Q10.1 | 4.68 | 8.77 | 18.91 | 30.02 | 37.62 | 3.87 |
How much do you agree with the following statement: “Participation in individual actions against climate change must be accompanied by financial or other benefits”. | Q10.2 | 72.71 | 13.26 | 9.16 | 4.48 | 0.39 | 1.47 |
How much do you agree with the following statement: “I do not worry about climate change because I do not think it will affect me”. | Q10.3 | 80.70 | 7.21 | 4.87 | 4.09 | 3.12 | 1.42 |
3.1. First Part of the Questionnaire: General Questions about the Environment
3.2. Second Part of the Questionnaire: Severity of Possible Impacts of Climate Change on Greece
3.3. Third Part of the Questionnaire: Effectiveness of the Actions Undertaken against Climate Change
3.4. Fourth part of the Questionnaire: Willingness to Participate in Actions against Climate Change
4. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Papoulis, D.; Kaika, D.; Bampatsou, C.; Zervas, E. Public Perception of Climate Change in a Period of Economic Crisis. Climate 2015, 3, 715-726. https://doi.org/10.3390/cli3030715
Papoulis D, Kaika D, Bampatsou C, Zervas E. Public Perception of Climate Change in a Period of Economic Crisis. Climate. 2015; 3(3):715-726. https://doi.org/10.3390/cli3030715
Chicago/Turabian StylePapoulis, Dimitrios, Dimitra Kaika, Christina Bampatsou, and Efthimios Zervas. 2015. "Public Perception of Climate Change in a Period of Economic Crisis" Climate 3, no. 3: 715-726. https://doi.org/10.3390/cli3030715