2025: Crisis Management Days Book of Abstracts
Climate and global changes (food, health, waste, environment, and safety)

Perception of climate change and risk management: Citizens' attitudes towards causes, consequences, and responses to climate change

  • Domagoj Jagić,
  • Nives Jovičić
Domagoj Jagić
University of Applied Sciences Velika Gorica
Nives Jovičić
University of Applied Sciences Velika Gorica

Published 2025-05-16

Keywords

  • climate change,
  • global warming,
  • risk management,
  • public perception

How to Cite

Jagić, D., & Jovičić, N. (2025). Perception of climate change and risk management: Citizens’ attitudes towards causes, consequences, and responses to climate change. Crisis Management Days. Retrieved from https://ojs.vvg.hr/index.php/DKU/article/view/716

Copyright (c) 2025 Author

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Introduction
Climate change represents one of the most serious challenges of the contemporary era, with far-reaching consequences for the environment, human health, the economy, and social stability. The increase in greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, largely attributed to human activities, is driving global temperatures up and causing increasingly frequent extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts, fires, and storms. In addition to the direct harmful effects on natural ecosystems and infrastructure, climate change significantly impacts the availability of resources, food security, water supplies, and the overall quality of life.

Given the complexity of the challenges posed by climate change, it is crucial to understand how the public perceives these changes and to what extent citizens recognize their own responsibility and potential for action. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze citizens’ attitudes towards the causes and consequences of climate change, the level of trust in available sources of information, and the perceived effectiveness of actions taken by individuals and institutions. The findings can serve as a basis for developing more effective communication and educational strategies in the areas of climate change adaptation and mitigation.

 

Methodology
A quantitative survey method was applied in the study. Data was collected via an anonymous online questionnaire created using Google Forms. The sample consisted of adult participants with varying educational backgrounds, randomly selected. The questionnaire consisted of a total of 38 questions, with three demographic questions (gender, age, and education), and the remaining questions focused on attitudes toward climate change. Participants expressed their opinions using a 5-point Likert scale, where 1 represented complete disagreement and 5 represented complete agreement with a statement. The survey addressed topics related to the perception of the causes and consequences of climate change, trust in media, the scientific community, and government, and the assessment of activities undertaken by individuals and institutions in managing climate risks.

 

Main results
The results of the study indicate a high level of awareness among participants regarding climate change. A total of 88.1% of respondents believe that human activities are the main cause of climate change, while 47.5% disagree with the statement that climate change is solely the result of natural processes. The key risks identified by respondents include the increased frequency of extreme weather events (89.2%), the extinction of plant and animal species (78%), and threats to global food security (77.8%) and human health.

Regarding trust in sources of information about climate change, the results showed a significant deficit. A total of 42.7% of respondents do not trust the media, scientists, or government institutions, while 36.2% express uncertainty about their trust in these sources. This lack of trust may affect the acceptance of scientifically based information and recommendations, leading to reliance on alternative, potentially unreliable sources.

Regarding actions to mitigate the consequences of climate change, 78.9% of participants believe that neither individuals nor institutions are taking sufficient concrete measures. Furthermore, 56.8% of participants disagree with the statement that nature is strong enough to handle the challenges posed by climate change without human intervention. These results indicate citizens' concern, but also a passive perception of individual roles in the climate transition process.

The findings highlight the need to strengthen public awareness and education on climate change, as well as to build trust in scientific and institutional sources of information. Special emphasis should be placed on developing participatory models that engage citizens in decision-making and planning adaptation and mitigation measures. While awareness of the problem exists, the results suggest that there is room for improvement in communication strategies and empowering individuals to actively engage in addressing climate challenges.

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