Exploring beliefs about climate change and attitudes towards adaptation among Czech citizens

0456364 - ÚVGZ 2016 RIV CZ eng C - Konferenční příspěvek (zahraniční konf.)
Lorencová, Eliška - Vačkář, David
Exploring beliefs about climate change and attitudes towards adaptation among Czech citizens.
Global Change: A Complex Challenge : Conference Proceedings. Brno: Global Change Research Centre, The Czech Academy of Sciences, v. v. i., 2015 - (Urban, O.; Šprtová, M.; Klem, K.), s. 182-185. ISBN 978-80-87902-10-3.
[Global Change: A Complex Challenge /4th/. Brno (CZ), 23.03.2015-24.03.2015]
Grant CEP: GA MŠMT(CZ) LD13032; GA MŠMT(CZ) LO1415
Institucionální podpora: RVO:67179843
Klíčová slova: climate change * global environmental problems * Czech Republic
Kód oboru RIV: EH - Ekologie - společenstva

Climate change currently represents one of the major global environmental problems. In order to respond to these changes, adaptation actions at all levels, from national to local, need to be undertaken (European Commission 2013). Moreover, perceptions of climate change are an important element affecting actual attitudes towards adaptation actions and influencing policy and communication regarding climate change (Lorenzoni et al. 2005). This paper presents the results of a survey on perceptions of climate change, including beliefs about climate change and attitudes towards adaptation, conducted among 1,024 Czech citizens in October 2014. Survey results show that the majority of respondents (78%) agreed with the statement that global climate change is happening. Positive responses about perceptions of climate change were found especially among younger people (18 to 34 years of age). In terms of adaptation measures, 51% of respondents had adopted a variety of individual actions (ranging from water savings to property insurance), discussed in the paper in further detail. Older people (≥ 45 years of age) with higher education preferred rather technical adaptation measures (e.g. flood protection for property, installation of rainwater reservoirs, etc.). The survey represents unique insights into attitudes towards climate change within the Czech Republic which had not previously been investigated to this extent. The results provided can support decision-making regarding adaptation policy, individual adaptation actions, and communication of climate change issues towards general public. Introduction
Trvalý link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0256912