Risk perception of climate change and global crises: Influences of socio-economic drivers and political orientations
Abstract Climate change increasingly impacts health and livelihoods, with extreme climate events causing significant economic losses and health risks. Understanding how socio-economic drivers and political orientation influence public risk perception is key for effective climate policies. This study...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer Nature
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05349-y |
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| author | Blanca Paniello-Castillo Stefan Döring Sarah Dryhurst Giuliano Di Baldassarre Elena Raffetti |
| author_facet | Blanca Paniello-Castillo Stefan Döring Sarah Dryhurst Giuliano Di Baldassarre Elena Raffetti |
| author_sort | Blanca Paniello-Castillo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Climate change increasingly impacts health and livelihoods, with extreme climate events causing significant economic losses and health risks. Understanding how socio-economic drivers and political orientation influence public risk perception is key for effective climate policies. This study aims to show how gender, age, income, political orientation, education, and place of residence shape perceptions of climate change as compared to other global crises (epidemics and economic crises), using Italy and Sweden as case studies (N = 12,476 individuals representative of the general population in both countries). Our findings indicate that women, low-income, and left-leaning respondents report higher risk perceptions across all hazards compared to men, higher-income, and right-leaning individuals. Younger individuals perceive higher risks for climate change and economic crisis but lower for epidemics compared to older individuals. These findings illustrate the importance of tailored communication strategies to address diverse perceptions and enhance public support for climate policies. By contextualizing climate change risk perceptions with other global crises, this study does not only provide crucial insights for advancing our understanding of risk perception dynamics in the context of global challenges but can also inform policymakers in designing interventions that consider socio-economic disparities and ideological influences. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e6fc4fdc772746a69da3bfcec1c1a37b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2662-9992 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Springer Nature |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-e6fc4fdc772746a69da3bfcec1c1a37b2025-08-20T03:45:24ZengSpringer NatureHumanities & Social Sciences Communications2662-99922025-07-011211910.1057/s41599-025-05349-yRisk perception of climate change and global crises: Influences of socio-economic drivers and political orientationsBlanca Paniello-Castillo0Stefan Döring1Sarah Dryhurst2Giuliano Di Baldassarre3Elena Raffetti4Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska InstitutetDepartment of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala UniversityInstitute for Risk and Disaster Reduction, University College London (UCL)Centre of Natural Hazards and Disaster Science (CNDS)Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska InstitutetAbstract Climate change increasingly impacts health and livelihoods, with extreme climate events causing significant economic losses and health risks. Understanding how socio-economic drivers and political orientation influence public risk perception is key for effective climate policies. This study aims to show how gender, age, income, political orientation, education, and place of residence shape perceptions of climate change as compared to other global crises (epidemics and economic crises), using Italy and Sweden as case studies (N = 12,476 individuals representative of the general population in both countries). Our findings indicate that women, low-income, and left-leaning respondents report higher risk perceptions across all hazards compared to men, higher-income, and right-leaning individuals. Younger individuals perceive higher risks for climate change and economic crisis but lower for epidemics compared to older individuals. These findings illustrate the importance of tailored communication strategies to address diverse perceptions and enhance public support for climate policies. By contextualizing climate change risk perceptions with other global crises, this study does not only provide crucial insights for advancing our understanding of risk perception dynamics in the context of global challenges but can also inform policymakers in designing interventions that consider socio-economic disparities and ideological influences.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05349-y |
| spellingShingle | Blanca Paniello-Castillo Stefan Döring Sarah Dryhurst Giuliano Di Baldassarre Elena Raffetti Risk perception of climate change and global crises: Influences of socio-economic drivers and political orientations Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| title | Risk perception of climate change and global crises: Influences of socio-economic drivers and political orientations |
| title_full | Risk perception of climate change and global crises: Influences of socio-economic drivers and political orientations |
| title_fullStr | Risk perception of climate change and global crises: Influences of socio-economic drivers and political orientations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Risk perception of climate change and global crises: Influences of socio-economic drivers and political orientations |
| title_short | Risk perception of climate change and global crises: Influences of socio-economic drivers and political orientations |
| title_sort | risk perception of climate change and global crises influences of socio economic drivers and political orientations |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05349-y |
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