DCU Research charts climate change beliefs across Europe

A comprehensive review of climate change attitudes across Europe has found that approximately 98% of people believe climate change is occurring, though significant variations exist based on political orientation and social values.

The systematic review, which analyzed 93 studies conducted between 2013 and 2023, examined how social and political factors influence Europeans' views on climate change. Researchers used Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Systems Theory to understand how everything from family relationships to broader political ideologies shape climate attitudes.

The study found clear demographic patterns: women, younger people, and those with higher education levels generally show stronger belief in human-caused climate change and greater concern about its impacts.

However, the most striking findings centered on political orientation. Right-wing political ideology consistently correlated with climate change skepticism across most European countries, though the effect was less pronounced than in the United States. Populist beliefs, particularly anti-elitism and social dominance orientation, emerged as powerful predictors of climate denial.

Researchers also discovered troubling connections between climate skepticism and intolerance. One study found that individuals with higher levels of racial intolerance were 21.5% less likely to consider climate change consequences extremely serious.

The review noted concerning gaps in current research, including a heavy reliance on cross-sectional surveys and a notable absence of studies examining children's climate attitudes. The researchers recommend future studies focus on how climate attitudes form from childhood and how they can be effectively changed.