Individual and Community Factors as Correlates of Climate Change Awareness and Action among 15 African Countries

Abstract

In Africa, the scientific evidence on climate change awareness and action from country-based data is limited, and few studies have examined the associations between individual and community level characteristics and climate change awareness and action. A sample from country-based data (Afrobarometer Round 9), from 15 African countries was used to examine the relationship between individual and community variables and climate change awareness and action. Data were analysed by means of frequency counts, t-tests, analysis of variance, correlation and stepwise regression analyses. The findings revealed that the proportion of individuals who had heard of climate change ranged from 22% in Tunisia to 75% in Zimbabwe, and those who believed that climate change was affecting their countries ranged from 10.2% in Ghana to 53.8% in Malawi. Across the sampled countries, only 47.1% of participants had heard about climate change while 34.6% believed climate change affected them. In all the countries studied, participants believed it was the responsibility of government to check and fight climate change. However, statistical significant differences were observed in the awareness of climate change between urban and rural respondents. Age of respondents and their place of residence were found to be positively correlated with climate change awareness and action. Findings from stepwise multiple regression analysis also revealed that climate change awareness was the most parsimonious predictor of climate change action (R²=0.275). The study concluded that individual and community level variables are important precursors to climate change awareness whilst fostering willingness towards climate change action should be an integral part of any intervention.