The global study reveals people, including these

An international study of people from 11 countries has shown that most people, including those in the areas most affected by climate change, do not understand the term “climate justice”. However, they do recognize the social, historical and economic injustices that characterize the climate crisis. The findings could help shape more effective communications and advocacy.

Researchers from the School of Psychology at the University of Nottingham led a study that surveyed 5,627 adults in 11 countries (Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, the Netherlands, Nigeria, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States United) to assess familiarity. with the concept of climate justice. This is the first study to examine public understanding of climate change outside of Europe and North America. The research was published in Nature Climate Change.

The findings show that a basic recognition of the social, historical and economic injustices that characterize the climate crisis is common around the world, even if people do not consciously connect this understanding with the concept of climate justice.

The researchers found that two-thirds of people in these countries had never heard of climate justice. The majority of people surveyed supported beliefs related to climate justice, including the notion that poorer people suffer the worst impacts of climate change (78% agree), people in the most affected communities should have more voice in decisions related to climate change (78). %), and that capitalism and colonialism are elements that sustain the climate crisis (70%). Endorsement of these climate justice-related beliefs was also positively associated with participation in climate action and support for just climate policies.

Climate justice broadly encompasses the recognition that (1) the impacts of climate change are perceived unequally across society; (2) the most affected groups often have less voice in the selection and implementation of societal responses to climate change, and (3) climate change-related policy-making processes often fail to recognize the legitimate interests of communities politically voiceless, which helps to move on. deprivation of rights of marginalized groups. It is a framework that enables policymakers to identify and address the many different ways in which the climate crisis intersects with long-standing patterns of social injustice.

Dr Charles Ogunbode, Assistant Professor of Applied Psychology at the University of Nottingham who led the research, said: “Considering climate justice as we respond to a changing climate is key to steering our societies towards just and equitable solutions. Ironically, research tends to be limited to what people in wealthier regions believe about climate change and climate justice.Frontline citizens, namely climate-vulnerable countries, are largely limited to be the subjects of the climate discourse, as opposed to the active participants. The unbalanced discourse coincides with the inequalities that characterize climate change itself.”

“By revealing the broad support for climate justice principles around the world, we hope climate advocates will use our research to further pressure policymakers and leaders to enact just responses to the climate crisis.”

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