Rethinking climate change perception: a multidimensional national study

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of weather-related extreme events, exposing several populations to risk. Climate change coping strategies need to consider the crucial role played by the behavior adopted by people. However, behavior is affected by perception, which is influenced by many factors: awareness and knowledge, trust in institutions, good communication and information, gender differences, territorial characteristics, and even having experienced a previous disaster. Since climate change adaptation policies often include nonstructural measures that address the social aspects of communities, understanding public perception of climate change is essential. However, in Italy, studies covering the national level remain underrepresented. To fill this gap, a nationwide survey on climate change perception was conducted. Data were collected by administering structured surveys to a sample of the Italian population older than 16 years and then weighted to be representative of the overall sample. The results refer to 1310 surveys analyzed at three subsequent levels: five Italian territorial macro-areas (North-West, North-East, Center, South, Islands), gender and age-groups. The analyses addressed specific topics, such as awareness of climate change, trust in information and decision-makers, and levels individual and social engagement. The findings revealed significant differences across regions and the demographic groups. These differences provide a fundamental basis for more accurately calibrating climate change adaptation policies aimed at increasing the resilience of the Italian population. These insights underscore the importance of context-sensitive climate communication and policy design, with implications for similarly diverse and multi-regional settings worldwide.