Attitudes and Opinions of Students at the University of Slavonski Brod on Climate Change

Abstract

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the world in the 21st century. The climate is undeniably changing and significant steps need to be taken to reduce the impact and scale of change. Climate change, caused by the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, is expected to lead to a number of problems that will affect the development of society. Negative impacts include damage from increasingly frequent natural disasters and rising sea levels, pressure on food production, negative effects on human health and many other problems. Public engagement will be critical to an effective response to climate change. A well-informed public that is sufficiently aware of the dangers that climate change can cause and the actions that are being taken to respond to climate change is crucial, as mitigation and adaptation processes cannot begin without changes in individual behaviour and adequate public support for policy decisions.  It is precisely for this reason that the aim of this thesis is to investigate students' attitudes and opinions on the risks, consequences and opportunities of adapting to climate change. Empirical research was conducted to investigate the perception of climate change from the students' perspective. The survey methods used include research conducted on a random sample of 133 respondents. The paper analyses in detail the knowledge about climate change, its risks and the opportunities available to students at the University of Slavonski Brod.