Climate Change Perception and Sustainable Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern Italy
Background: This study aimed to evaluate risk perception about climate change and the sustainable behaviors adopted by adults. Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was administered between February and April 2024 among parents of adolescents in southern Italy. Results: A total of 765 parents agreed t...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Earth |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4834/6/2/59 |
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| author | Francesca Gallè Giovanna Paduano Vincenza Sansone Valeria Di Onofrio Concetta Paola Pelullo Gabriella Di Giuseppe |
| author_facet | Francesca Gallè Giovanna Paduano Vincenza Sansone Valeria Di Onofrio Concetta Paola Pelullo Gabriella Di Giuseppe |
| author_sort | Francesca Gallè |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: This study aimed to evaluate risk perception about climate change and the sustainable behaviors adopted by adults. Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was administered between February and April 2024 among parents of adolescents in southern Italy. Results: A total of 765 parents agreed to participate in the survey, and the average respondents’ age was 47.3 years (28–78). Overall, 67.6% of respondents were extremely concerned that heat waves will negatively affect future generations. This concern was higher among respondents aged 41–50 years and >50 years, males, those who did not need additional information about climate change, and those who had received information about climate change. Regarding climate change concerns, 25.9% and 52.1% of participants were very or extremely concerned about climate change, respectively. Males, those who had one child, respondents aged 41–50 years and >50 years, and those who did not need additional information about climate change were significantly more likely to have concerns about climate change. Moreover, 34.5% of respondents engaged in sustainable behaviors. Finally, those who believed that climate change will negatively affect future generations and those who were extremely concerned that heat waves will negatively affect future generations were significantly more likely to engage in behaviors that mitigate the impact of climate change than those who were not concerned. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need to plan and design interventions on this topic. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5957a11dab744a97bbfb52274ec69723 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2673-4834 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Earth |
| spelling | doaj-art-5957a11dab744a97bbfb52274ec697232025-08-20T03:27:01ZengMDPI AGEarth2673-48342025-06-01625910.3390/earth6020059Climate Change Perception and Sustainable Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern ItalyFrancesca Gallè0Giovanna Paduano1Vincenza Sansone2Valeria Di Onofrio3Concetta Paola Pelullo4Gabriella Di Giuseppe5Department of Medical, Human Movement and Wellbeing Sciences, University of Naples “Parthenope”, 80133 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni 5, 80138 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni 5, 80138 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Sciences and Technologies, University of Naples “Parthenope”, Centro Direzionale Isola C4, 80143 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Medical, Human Movement and Wellbeing Sciences, University of Naples “Parthenope”, 80133 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Luciano Armanni 5, 80138 Naples, ItalyBackground: This study aimed to evaluate risk perception about climate change and the sustainable behaviors adopted by adults. Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was administered between February and April 2024 among parents of adolescents in southern Italy. Results: A total of 765 parents agreed to participate in the survey, and the average respondents’ age was 47.3 years (28–78). Overall, 67.6% of respondents were extremely concerned that heat waves will negatively affect future generations. This concern was higher among respondents aged 41–50 years and >50 years, males, those who did not need additional information about climate change, and those who had received information about climate change. Regarding climate change concerns, 25.9% and 52.1% of participants were very or extremely concerned about climate change, respectively. Males, those who had one child, respondents aged 41–50 years and >50 years, and those who did not need additional information about climate change were significantly more likely to have concerns about climate change. Moreover, 34.5% of respondents engaged in sustainable behaviors. Finally, those who believed that climate change will negatively affect future generations and those who were extremely concerned that heat waves will negatively affect future generations were significantly more likely to engage in behaviors that mitigate the impact of climate change than those who were not concerned. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need to plan and design interventions on this topic.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4834/6/2/59behaviorsclimate changeconcernheat wavesItalysurvey |
| spellingShingle | Francesca Gallè Giovanna Paduano Vincenza Sansone Valeria Di Onofrio Concetta Paola Pelullo Gabriella Di Giuseppe Climate Change Perception and Sustainable Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern Italy Earth behaviors climate change concern heat waves Italy survey |
| title | Climate Change Perception and Sustainable Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern Italy |
| title_full | Climate Change Perception and Sustainable Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern Italy |
| title_fullStr | Climate Change Perception and Sustainable Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern Italy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Climate Change Perception and Sustainable Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern Italy |
| title_short | Climate Change Perception and Sustainable Behaviors: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern Italy |
| title_sort | climate change perception and sustainable behaviors a cross sectional study in southern italy |
| topic | behaviors climate change concern heat waves Italy survey |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4834/6/2/59 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT francescagalle climatechangeperceptionandsustainablebehaviorsacrosssectionalstudyinsouthernitaly AT giovannapaduano climatechangeperceptionandsustainablebehaviorsacrosssectionalstudyinsouthernitaly AT vincenzasansone climatechangeperceptionandsustainablebehaviorsacrosssectionalstudyinsouthernitaly AT valeriadionofrio climatechangeperceptionandsustainablebehaviorsacrosssectionalstudyinsouthernitaly AT concettapaolapelullo climatechangeperceptionandsustainablebehaviorsacrosssectionalstudyinsouthernitaly AT gabrielladigiuseppe climatechangeperceptionandsustainablebehaviorsacrosssectionalstudyinsouthernitaly |