Supervisors info:
Ευαγγελία Μαυρικάκη, Καθηγήτρια ΠΤΔΕ, ΕΚΠΑ
Ευστράτιος Βαλάκος, Καθηγητής Τμήμα Βιολογίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Ελένη Γιαννούτσου, ΕΔΙΠ Τμήμα Βιολογίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
The climate crisis is one of the greatest threats to the planet, affecting the environment, the economy, and societies worldwide. This study focuses on the understanding and recognition of the climate crisis phenomenon among university students in Greece. Students, as future scientists and policymakers, play a crucial role in understanding climate change and addressing it. The theoretical framework of the research analyzes the distinction between the terms "climate change" and "climate crisis" and examines different perceptions, including climate change deniers who argue that climate changes are natural processes.
The research methodology is based on a quantitative analysis through a questionnaire distributed to undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students from various departments of Greek universities. The questionnaire examined participants' recognition of climate change, their acceptance of its anthropogenic causes, and their awareness of the negative consequences it entails, with the combination of these factors serving as an indicator of understanding of climate change. Additionally, the study explored the possible correlation between each participant's experience of climate change/crisis and their corresponding perceptions. Experience of climate change/crisis was defined as the average of the degree of personal impact from the climate crisis (extreme weather events such as heatwaves, wildfires, floods) and the existence or not of a known person who was severely affected.
The results showed that the majority of students in our sample recognize climate change as a real phenomenon to a much greater extent than they understand it, with the highest percentage (96.3%) acknowledging the seriousness of its consequences. It was observed that the average score for awareness of negative consequences was significantly higher than that for acceptance of anthropogenic causes, indicating that students are more informed about the serious impacts of the climate crisis while ignoring its anthropogenic causes. The lowest observed score in our sample was for the acceptance of anthropogenic causes of climate change (5.95 ± 1.28). The views of the participants did not differ significantly based on gender, level of study, department/specialization, or whether a parent worked in an occupation related to nature and the environment. However, it was noted that the level of recognition and awareness of the serious negative consequences of climate change among residents of major cities (Athens, Thessaloniki) was significantly higher than that of those living in other urban centers, possibly due to easier access to news media. Of particular interest is the fact that the age of the respondents is a critical factor in understanding climate crisis. The scores for recognition of climate change, understanding of its causes and consequences, acceptance that the primary cause is human activity, and awareness of its serious negative impacts were significantly higher among younger respondents (18-35 years old) than those of older participants (>36 years old). A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the degree of personal impact from extreme weather events and the recognition and understanding of climate change. The greater the participants' personal experience, the higher their recognition and understanding of climate change, proving that personal experience plays a crucial role in shaping perceptions. Additionally, knowing a person who has been severely affected by the climate crisis also positively influences students' understanding and acceptance of climate change, demonstrating that the influence of one's immediate environment also contributes to shaping views. And therefore, a corresponding statistically significant positive correlation also emerges between the degree of experience of climate change/crisis and recognition & understanding of climate change. Do we have to "suffer to learn"?
Keywords:
Climate change, experience of climate change/crisis, acceptance of anthropogenic causes, awareness of the negative consequences, perceptions of climate change
