The knowledge, perception and awareness of urban population in India towards climate change- An observational cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: The Earth has undergone dramatic climate change in recent years, which has raised concerns and requires deep understanding and proper public awareness to address this issue. The objective of this study was to determine the association between the level of knowledge, perceptions, and awareness of the urban community in Delhi and climate change.
Materials and method: An observational, cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted on 1200 urban residents of Delhi (mean age of 39.8±15.5 years) who were provided with a structured questionnaire based on knowledge, perceptions, and awareness with regard to climatic change. The association between various factors affecting awareness and climate change was assessed by chi square test.
Results: The findings of the study revealed that most respondents were aware of the word ‘Climate Change’ and its effect on our lives; however, there were still many people who were completely ignorant of climate change or its effect. Younger generations were more aware of the influence of education and social media, which play a very important role in awareness. The other factors that influenced the respondents’ awareness of climate change were the level of education, occupation, and financial resources, which were better for the upper class and upper middle class.
Conclusions: It was concluded from the study that most of the people were aware of the fact that their lifestyle was affected due to climate change, and therefore, felt the necessity to have a better understanding of the topic to effectively combat the effects of climate change.
Recommendations: It is recommended to promote public education on the effects of climate change and implement mitigating policies such as recycling methods and disease surveillance at national and community level. At the individual level, efforts are needed to educate oneself and participate infighting climate change must become a priority. The use of non-biodegradable items should be discouraged; instead investing in renewable energy sources such as solar panels and electric vehicles must be encouraged. Adopting climate friendly options should be implemented at every level.