A University of Otago study explored factors which influence Americans' levels of concern over climate change, providing discussion on how those factors could impact mitigation efforts.
Professor Nancy Longnecker
A key thread of the research examined the ability of people to visualize the future. Results showed that while 74 per cent of respondents were concerned about climate change, only 29 per cent discussed lower carbon options when asked to describe travel in the year 2050.
"This suggests actively envisioning a sustainable future was less prevalent than climate change concern. So while the majority were concerned, there was a disconnect with expectations of what the future might hold," says lead author Jean Fletcher, who completed the study as part of her PhD in Otago's Centre for Science Communication.
The study discusses how mitigation efforts such as greater adoption of low carbon systems could be more widely accepted and happen sooner if expectations of a low carbon future were more prevalent.
"For example, if people expect vehicles will, rather than might, switch from petrol to electric, the uptake of electric car purchasing would likely increase sooner," Miss Fletcher says.
