A study reveals how personal experience with extreme weather events profoundly influences perceptions of climate change threats. Understanding these insights could pave the way for more effective climate communication strategies.
People who have experienced extreme weather events, such as floods and heatwaves, are significantly more likely to view climate change as a very serious threat, according to new research from the University of Amsterdam.
The study, conducted by Fabian Dablander from UvA’s climate institute SEVEN and published in Environmental Research Letters, analyzed survey data from over 128,000 respondents in 142 countries.
The findings show a clear pattern: those who have endured climate-related hazards in the past five years are more inclined to perceive climate change as a pressing danger.
Specifically, experiencing a heatwave has an impact on risk perception comparable to that of receiving a university education, a traditionally strong predictor of climate awareness.
Dablander emphasizes the profound influence of personal experience in shaping attitudes towards climate change.
“Personal experiences cut through abstract statistics and political debates,” he said in a news release. “When someone has lived through a devastating flood or heatwave, the risks of climate change become much more tangible and harder to dismiss.”
This research indicates that individual experiences act as a psychological “gateway,” turning climate change from an abstract issue into a concrete personal concern.
However, the study also reveals complexities. While individual experiences with extreme events increase climate risk awareness, these perceptions don’t always translate into heightened national concern.
Factors such as media coverage, political leadership and cultural narratives play a crucial role in how these experiences are interpreted and acted upon. For instance, even though floods are highly common worldwide, some flood-prone regions exhibit relatively low levels of concern about climate change.
This underscores the pivotal role of effective communication and leadership in addressing the climate crisis.
The research also uncovered regional differences in risk perception.
Residents of South America are the most likely to view climate change as a serious threat, with nearly 75% expressing this view. In contrast, about half of Europeans surveyed hold the same opinion.
Oceania reported the highest rates of hazard experience, with over 40% having lived through an extreme event in the past five years, whereas Europe had the lowest at 20%.
By integrating these individual experiences with broader socioeconomic factors, the study provides a comprehensive picture of global climate risk perceptions. Using data from the 2023 World Risk Poll conducted by Lloyd’s Register Foundation and Gallup, it examined responses across more than 140 countries, considering variables like education, income and resilience.
“Billions of people are already living with the impacts of climate change,” Dablander added. “As these experiences accumulate, we may see rising demand for climate action. But without political leadership and media willing to connect the dots, those experiences alone won’t drive the transformation we need.”
Source: University of Amsterdam