Pacific Islanders’ understanding of climate change: Where do they source information and to what extent do they trust it?

Scott-Parker, Bridie and Nunn, Patrick D. and Mulgrew, Kate and Hine, Don and Marks, Anthony and Mahar, Doug and Tiko, Lavinia (2016) Pacific Islanders’ understanding of climate change: Where do they source information and to what extent do they trust it? Regional Environmental Change, NA . NA. ISSN 1436-3798

PDF Restricted to Repository staff only Download (687kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

The experience of environmental stress and
attitudes towards climate change was explored for 1226
students at the University of the South Pacific, the foremost
tertiary institution serving the independent nations of the
Pacific. Students sourced information regarding climate
change from media including television, radio, and newspapers;
the community (typically via their village, church,
and extended family); the University and their friends; and
in addition to regional agencies such as the Pacific Community.
Most students concluded that they could not
believe all of the informations provided by these sources.
The findings demonstrate that most students—the future
elite of the region—rank global environmental change as
the highest future risk. Although nearly all respondents
believed that climate change was happening, more than
half of respondents believed that the risk was exaggerated
and only one-third believed that science would find an
answer, suggesting a lack of trust in scientific sources of
information. Results also showed that these attitudes varied
across demographic factors such as age, region, and gender.
The understanding of contemporary attitudes towards
global environmental change among a cohort that is likely
to include future national leaders in the Pacific Islands
region presents unique opportunities for long-range
planning of intervention and support strategies. Of particular
note for effective intervention and support is the
breadth and trustworthiness of various information sources
including Pacific Island leaders.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Divisions:	Faculty of Arts, Law and Education (FALE) > School of Education
Depositing User:	Fulori Nainoca - Waqairagata
Date Deposited:	07 Jul 2016 00:40
Last Modified:	12 Oct 2017 04:26
URI:	https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/9043

Actions (login required)

View Item