Drivers of climate change opinion

The paper identifies 'Knowledge of climate change' and 'Belief in anthropogenic CC' as the primary predictors of climate change opinion, which are further modulated by 'Risk aversion' to determine policy acceptance. It highlights the role of traditional media in polarizing opinion and the influence of political and religious orientations on beliefs. The authors argue that developed nations often perceive climate risks as distant due to higher mitigation and adaptation capacities, whereas more vulnerable, less wealthy communities exhibit higher risk awareness.

• Traditional media serves as a critical tool for both increasing public understanding and polarizing opinion; polarization is notably higher in countries where fossil fuel and mining industries fund contrarian movements that challenge scientific consensus.
• Political orientation is a strong driver of climate change beliefs, with a significant divide in the USA where Democrats show higher awareness (57%) compared to Republicans (19%).
• Religious beliefs influence climate change perspectives; in the USA, Catholics are more likely to believe in anthropogenic causes (57%) than Evangelicals (41%), partly attributed to Pope Francis' encyclical "Laudato Si'".
• Willingness to support climate policies is determined by the interaction between climate change opinion and 'Risk aversion', which is heavily influenced by a community's vulnerability, poverty, and direct exposure to climate risks.
• There is a disparity in risk perception based on national wealth; developed countries often view climate change as a distant problem with low urgency because their higher mitigation and adaptation capacities reduce their perceived vulnerability.

APA

Ruiz, I., Faria, S. H., & Neumann, M. B. (2017). Drivers of climate change opinion. Basque Centre for Climate Change. https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/201708170157001989663309.pdf

Chicago

Ruiz, Itxaso, Sérgio H. Faria, and Marc B. Neumann. Drivers of climate change opinion. Basque Centre for Climate Change, 2017. https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/201708170157001989663309.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ruiz |first1=Itxaso |last2=Faria |first2=Sérgio H. |last3=Neumann |first3=Marc B. |title=Drivers of climate change opinion |publisher=Basque Centre for Climate Change |date=August 2017 |url=https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/201708170157001989663309.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ruiz2017drivers, author = {Ruiz, Itxaso and Faria, Sérgio H. and Neumann, Marc B.}, title = {{Drivers of climate change opinion}}, institution = {Basque Centre for Climate Change}, year = {2017}, month = aug, url = {https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/201708170157001989663309.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }