Planting Trees for Publicity—How Much Are They Worth?

In education for sustainable development, widely regarded as a framework that offers us the opportunity to improve the ways in which we cope with climate change issues, the need for student teachers to express willingness to act in order to deal with numerous issues and challenges of sustainable development, especially climate change, is of particular importance. Therefore, the focus of this study is on the examination of predictors of student teachers’ willingness to act in a climate-change mitigation and adaptation context. For the purpose of this study, measurement instruments of willingness to act in climate change mitigation and adaptation context, attitudes towards climate change, perception of action possibilities in climate change mitigation and adaptation context, interest in climate change and concern for ecological problems were validated. A total of 201 student teachers from the University of Rijeka (Croatia) participated in the study. It was determined that (I) attitudes towards climate change, (II) perception of action possibilities in climate change mitigation and adaptation context and (III) interest in climate change represent significant predictors of willingness to act in climate-change direction and mitigation contexts. Based on the results of this study, recommendations for teacher education in the climate change context have been offered.

An understanding of the psychosocial factors that influence an individual’s attitude towards climate change and the potential impact of these factors on sustainability could prove valuable in the development of future programmes and campaigns designed to encourage more eco-friendly behaviours. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the relationship between anxiety about climate change, climate change curiosity, and a number of variables pertaining to psychosocial functioning, including social orientations, preferred values, and political beliefs. This study involved a sample of 277 people (Mage = 30.10; SD age = 9.32) who completed a series of scales: The Climate Anxiety Scale, The Curiosity of Climate Changes Scale, Agency/Communion Scale, The Portrait Values Questionnaire, and The Political Beliefs Questionnaire. The regression analysis revealed that two aspects of social orientation, namely unmitigated agency and unmitigated communion, were predictive of anxiety about climate change. Conversely, curiosity about climate change was not predicted by different aspects of social orientation. The self-transcendence metacategory of values was found to positively predict climate anxiety, whereas the conservation metacategory of values predicts it negatively. Political beliefs were not found to predict fear of climate change; however, some aspects of political beliefs were predictive of interest in climate change. Furthermore, a cluster analysis identified three distinct clusters of participants, distinguished by varying scores on the climate anxiety and climate curiosity scales. These clusters were characterised as follows: Anxious (individuals with high levels of climate anxiety and high levels of climate curiosity), Curious (individuals with low levels of climate anxiety and high levels of climate curiosity) and Disinterested (individuals with low levels of climate anxiety and low levels of climate curiosity). The individuals grouped within these clusters demonstrated differences in some aspects of social orientation, preferred values, and political beliefs.

Encouragingly, more people accept that climate change is happening than ever before (and is largely human-made); almost two-thirds of the UK agree with the scientific consensus, according to a recent survey (ComRes, 2017). However, misconceptions still exist, and apathy is common. So how can climate scientists make people aware of the options available for action? In February 2017, the Royal Meteorological Society co-hosted a meeting with the Grantham Institute – Climate Change and the Environment – at Imperial College London, to exchange ideas on better ways to engage with, and communicate their science to, the public, businesses and government. As the issue of climate change grows in complexity, we need to find new ways to communicate. Data visualisations are a powerful way of exploring and spotting patterns in data; one of the most compelling examples is Spiralling global temperatures showcased at the Rio Olympics (Figure 1). Rosamund Pearce, a multimedia specialist at Carbon Brief, opened the event with a guide to creating engaging and accurate data visualisations. She began by making the important distinction between data visualisations and infographics. Infographics are usually subjective and explain a specific story, while visualisations tend to be automatically generated and are objective. Ros added that when choosing a chart, you have to balance the ease of interpretation with visual impact and memorability; for example, a bar chart might be easily understood, but it is not very eye-catching or memorable, and she recommended websites to help with chart selection (see, for example, www.datavizcatalogue.com). She also discussed colour perception and cultural differences in interpreting maps. India, for example, has its own official map. In the current era, climate scientists might be reticent about talking to journalists. In his talk, Pete Castle, a media expert from the University of Reading, provided reassurance and urged experts to hit back at climate scepticism. A recent poll shows scientists to be one of the most trusted sources – fourth in a list of 25 professions (79% agreed; Ipsos MORI, 2016). The media and public interest in climate change fell back in 2016, even though it was the warmest year on record and the Paris climate agreement was ratified. In 2017, Donald Trump has put the subject back on the agenda, Pete noted. While traditional news journalism is changing rapidly, it still influences public opinion. Pete provided some practical tips on how to work positively with the media. He urged scientists to build relationships by briefing journalists on upcoming stories and by seeking help from organisations such as the Science Media Centre. He provided real-life case studies to illustrate how it can be good for a scientist’s institution and scientific career, and for climate science overall. Our third speaker was Alyssa Gilbert from the Grantham Research Institute, who is an expert at connecting academics with business leaders. Alyssa highlighted reasons for working with business, which include increased access to facilities and funding as well as help with scaling-up discoveries to commercialisation (such as photovoltaics) and driving innovation through spin-off companies (such as Climate KIC – a public–private innovation partnership focused on climate innovation): It is equally important to understand what challenges businesses are facing, and be able to put your science in that context, in order to build a solution and to describe your science in a way that is meaningful to the business community. She reasoned that all types of university research could potentially be shared with businesses, but it is important to assess how far different types of knowledge are from having a commercial impact. Diverse types of organisations could be interested, especially the retail and finance sectors. Alyssa listed the types of job function that could potentially be worth talking to, and she emphasised the importance of timing in anticipating external drivers such as COP-21 (the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference). Alyssa further outlined novel ways to interact with businesses, such as commissioned research, membership clubs, advisory boards and fellowships, and organised hackathon events. Science can also have a profound effect on international policy. David Warrilow, former Head of Science at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (now the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)), gave a historical perspective on how science and policy have developed together over the last 30 years. He also described effective ways of improving the dialogue between the scientific community and policymakers: The way in which science is communicated to the outside world goes through media, politicians and policymakers, and the biggest impact is often from a high-profile figure. It was a key speech from Margaret Thatcher, delivered in 1988, which actually positioned climate change high on the political agenda, but it gained traction as the public had other environmental concerns (e.g. acid rain and ozone depletion). David highlighted how big pushes on policy also transpired after each Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. The evidence was accepted because there was confirmation from several independent voices, a rigorous review approach (e.g. IPCC) had been used, and there was broad agreement both nationally and internationally. The final speaker of the afternoon was Bob Ward, Policy and Communications Director of the Grantham Research Institute, LSE, who finished with a strong and urgent call to action for climate scientists to improve their communication skills. The underlying message from Bob was that all our children and future generations will be affected by climate change. However, climate scientists have a special moral dilemma which may lead them to go beyond talking about their own research and to commit to advocating increased awareness of climate change more broadly. He said that talking about how the lives and livelihoods of people will be affected by climate change can be enormously powerful in public outreach. He also emphasised the importance of talking about local impacts (e.g. threats to productivity and cities) as well as global issues. The slides, audio and presentations from this meeting can be downloaded here: https://www.rmets.org/events/avoiding-myth-mayhem-and-myopia-challenge-climate-science-communication

As it is stated by researchers from multiple scientific fields, climate change has real consequences both for the natural environment but also for the human beings, but not everyone is interested in fighting the global warming and its implications. Yet, there are people who are curious about climate change and became invested in the cause of fighting it. Taking this into account, the aim of this study was to create a questionnaire that would enable to measure curiosity about climate change and as such be an useful tool in research regarding this matter. After examination of existing literature and the evaluation of competent judges, we created a questionnaire which structure and reliability was determined in conducted studies. We also investigated possible correlations between introduced in this paper the Curiosity of Climate Changes Scale (CCCS) and other diagnostic tools: The Curiosity and Exploration Inventory II, The Need for Cognitive Closure Scale, The Elements of Nature Curiosity Scale, The Climate Anxiety Scale, The Environmental Identity Scale and The Generational Time Perspective Scale. The results of the factor analyses verified a one-factor structure. The CCCS showed satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.95). The validity of the CCCS was indicated by correlations with different scales. The CCCS correlates with general curiosity, curiosity of elements of nature, need for cognitive closure, environmental identity, climate anxiety and generational time perspective. The results indicate that the Curiosity of Climate Changes Scale is a valid and reliable tool. The Curiosity of Climate Changes Scale can be used in future research but also has its practical use - for teachers and environmental educators who thanks to the CCCS can obtain information regarding one's interest in climate change, which can be used in educational programs.

Climate change poses a threat to the survival of the human race. Increased interest in climate change, carbon peaks, and carbon neutralization and rising recognition of the challenges inherent to highlighting this issue provides the opportunity to carry out a bibliometric study to identify what research can generate ideas regarding climate change, carbon peaks, and carbon neutralization. As expected, it may align with the dual goals of the Chinese government agenda in terms of a carbon peak and carbon neutralization in 2030 and 2060, respectively. The recent argument has induced calls for improved transparency and standardization in the approaches adopted to synthesize climate change, carbon peak, and carbon neutralization research. Nevertheless, key questions are still unanswered, namely, what are the key contributions that the research community has produced in relation to climate change, carbon peaks, and carbon neutralization? Have their contributions been inclined toward specific geographical areas, directions, and themes? As such, software tools for bibliometric analysis, VOSviewer, and Python were used to conduct a systematic quantitative analysis of the relevant literature on climate change, carbon peaks, and carbon neutralization. The results show that carbon peaks and carbon neutralization have received wide attention from academic scholars. In the meantime, China faces the unfolding challenges of economic, technological, and political factors that need to be addressed to achieve carbon peak and carbon neutralization. This study provides policy implications for achieving China’s emission reduction targets.

As a result of the increase in the world's population, natural resources have faced the danger of depletion and therefore issues such as environmental degradation and climate change have started to be addressed within the framework of “sustainability”. The aim of this study is to use bibliometrics and content analysis to visualize hotspots and emerging trends in studies examining the relationship between sustainable food and climate change. An initial search of the Web of Science Core Collection yielded 1166 records. After applying filters for document type (articles, reviews, and proceedings), publication year (2000–2025), and language (English), a final dataset of 1080 publications was obtained. Bibliometric analyzes were performed using the Biblioshiny package and VOSviewer to examine author productivity, country‐level contributions, thematic clusters, and citation networks. VOSviewer was employed for the visualization and mapping of bibliometric networks, while Biblioshiny was used to generate descriptive statistics. In addition, content analysis of the 20 most‐cited articles was conducted to synthesize their objectives, key findings, and recommendations for future research. Publication output increased sharply after 2015, indicating a growing academic interest in climate change and sustainable food. The volume of global production, led by countries such as the United States, China and the United Kingdom, and key terms in keyword clusters such as “food security”, “climate change” and “sustainable agriculture” collectively indicate that this field has become both a political and scientific priority. The most cited papers emphasized the need for interdisciplinary approaches that integrate technology (e.g., artificial intelligence, nanotechnology), land management and sustainable dietary changes. In conclusion, this study shows how sustainable food systems and climate‐related academic efforts are evolving globally. Future research should consider the multitude of variables that influence this link and develop research accordingly.

Research on climate change is critically important due to its widespread impacts on ecosystems, economies, and social structures. Climate change, including rising temperatures, rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and droughts, is already causing significant harm to people, biodiversity, and the environment, highlighting the need for research to develop strategies for adaptation and mitigation. Furthermore, understanding the underlying mechanisms of climate change processesis essential for predicting future consequences and creating effective policies and technologies. Theseefforts are crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning to renewable energy, and preventing natural disasters. In addition, climate change research plays a vital role in global scientific and political discussions, influencing the formation of agreements and laws that support sustainable development and environmental protection. Scientific knowledge aids in informed decision-making at international, national, andlocal levels, contributing to the creation of social support strategies, especially for vulnerable populationssuch as impoverished regions and small island nations.This study utilizes bibliometric analysis to examine the research landscape of climate change, highlightingkey research areas, identifying gaps in knowledge, and determining priority fields for further study. Bibliometrics also helps assess the interdisciplinary nature of climate change, spanning various disciplines from ecology to social sciences, and it provides insights into the contributions of scientific research to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. This approach enhances the understanding of the geographical aspects of climate change research and supports the formation of scientific priorities while improving the impact of research on practical solutions. Data from the Scopus platform on publications related to climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, sustainable agricultural practices, and the circular economy were analyzed. A total of 1,689 documents were identified between 1991 and 2024, and descriptive statistics were performed. The study employs structural scientometrics, using bibliometric links, co-citation analysis, and mapping cognitive structures to provide a comprehensive overview of the evolution of climate change research. The findings show that scientific interest in climate change has significantly increased since 2010, marking a turning point in global awareness and research efforts.

By growing awareness for and interest in climate change, media coverage enlarges the window of opportunity by which research can engage individuals and collectives in climate actions. However, we question whether the climate change research that gets mediatized is fit for this challenge. From a survey of the 51,230 scientific articles published in 2020 on climate change, we show that the news media preferentially publicizes research outputs found in multidisciplinary journals and journals perceived as top-tier. An in-depth analysis of the content of the top-100 mediatized papers, in comparison to a random subset, reveals that news media showcases a narrow and limited facet of climate change knowledge (i.e., natural science and health). News media selectivity reduces climate change research to the role of a sentinel and whistleblower for the large-scale, observed, or end-of-century consequences of climate change for natural Earth system components. The social, economic, technological, and energy aspects of climate change are curtailed through mediatization, as well as local and short-term scales of processes and solutions. Reviewing the social psychological mechanisms that underlie behavioral change, we challenge the current criteria used to judge newsworthiness and argue that the consequent mediatization of climate change research fails to breed real society engagement in actions. A transformative agenda for the mediatization of climate change research implies aligning newsworthiness with news effectiveness, i.e., addressing the extent to which communication is effective in presenting research that is likely to produce behavioral change.

Interest in climate change has increased tremendously in the past 10 to 15 yr, both within and outside the scientific community. The reason for this interest is directly related to the anticipated global warming that will result from increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. As a result of this interest, several questions have been raised relative to climate warming. For example, how can we predict long term climatic change? How accurate are the predictions? What will be the severity and extent of the changes? How will biodiversity, ecosystems, and habitats be affected if climate change occurs as predicted? How long will it take for species and ecosystems to react to climate change? This essay will focus on the utilization of bryophytes to answer those questions. Bryophytes grow in almost all terrestrial and freshwater environments where plants can be found. These environments have a global distribution and are found in all climatic regimes with the exception of those on permanent ice. The success of bryophytes is largely due to their unique and very effective physiological water relation system that permits them to survive in the wide variety of climates in which they are found. This poikilohydric system permits them to grow during periods when water is available and to suspend their metabolism when water is lacking. Most genera are ectohydric and take up water through the whole surface of the plant and therefore do not need a root system to draw water from the soil. Also, nutrients are taken up through all surfaces from solutes in water that is in contact with the plants. As a result, bryophytes can grow on such very hard surfaces as rocks and tree trunks where higher plants cannot because their roots cannot penetrate the surface.

Global climate change is affecting the distribution of marine species and is thought to represent a threat to biodiversity. Previous studies project expansion of species range for some species and local extinction elsewhere under climate change. Such range shifts raise concern for species whose long-term persistence is already threatened by other human disturbances such as fishing. However, few studies have attempted to assess the effects of future climate change on threatened vertebrate marine species using a multi-model approach. There has also been a recent surge of interest in climate change impacts on protected areas. This study applies three species distribution models and two sets of climate model projections to explore the potential impacts of climate change on marine species by 2050. A set of species in the North Sea, including seven threatened and ten major commercial species were used as a case study. Changes in habitat suitability in selected candidate protected areas around the UK under future climatic scenarios were assessed for these species. Moreover, change in the degree of overlap between commercial and threatened species ranges was calculated as a proxy of the potential threat posed by overfishing through bycatch. The ensemble projections suggest northward shifts in species at an average rate of 27 km per decade, resulting in small average changes in range overlap between threatened and commercially exploited species. Furthermore, the adverse consequences of climate change on the habitat suitability of protected areas were projected to be small. Although the models show large variation in the predicted consequences of climate change, the multi-model approach helps identify the potential risk of increased exposure to human stressors of critically endangered species such as common skate (Dipturus batis) and angelshark (Squatina squatina).

The accelerated changes on our planet have led to a growing interest in climate change and its consequences: natural hazards and adverse socio-economic impacts. However, the development of climate research and the proliferation of datasets require an integrated and efficient approach to the analysis, investigation, and visualization of atmospheric meteorological data. Thus, we propose a literature review of existing systems viewing meteorological phenomena in four and three dimensions. Moreover, we evaluate meteorological occurrences to better understand the dynamics associated with a meteorological phenomenon and visualize different weather data. Based on the investigation of tools and methods, we consider the existence of different ways of representing meteorological data and methodologies. However, it was imperative to obtain knowledge and create our way of visualizing weather data. This article found eleven existing solutions for 4D meteorological visualization and meteorological phenomena.

In the last few years there has been significant interest in Climate change. It has found the direct impact on surrounding world as well as on water resources. The rise in temperature associated with climate change results in a general decrease in the proportion of precipitation falling as snow and, as a result, a decrease in the duration of snow cover in many areas. With a shift from spring snow melt to winter runoff, this has implications for the timing of streamflow in such areas. The number of people living in water-stressed countries would rise. These changes threaten the quality of drinking water, rising water levels, and drying up, which also has implications for quality of life and food production. All of the above have a devastating effect on our ecosystem. It should be noted that the impact of climate change on water resources is also the impact of the community, such as environmental or social (health security, future existence). Scientists from all across the world already agree that the global climate change is the result of human activity.

ABSTRACTAlthough climate change is highly prevalent in the media, people in Europe and the United States are often unsure about climate change terms, processes, and its personal consequences. In other words, climate change communication seems to be largely failing so far. Among other communication tools, maps are widely used for explanatory purposes by scientists and the media. Here two questions arise: first, whether high map complexity may be too intricate to be understood and discourage people from deciphering the map; and second, whether personal interest in climate change can be influenced by the phenomenon depicted or the map’s scale. In a survey conducted among 109 students in the USA, 63% of respondents preferred a simple map, but a substantial subset, 37%, asked for complexity to receive more information. Regional phenomena evoked more concern than far-off phenomena (concern level index difference of 0.93 on a 5-ranked Likert scale). The advantage of maps showing local areas could not be statistically confirmed.

Using Protection Motivation Theory to examine information-seeking behaviors on climate change

Anderegg and Goldsmith (2014 Environ. Res. Lett. 9 054005) use Google Trends to examine the impact of specific media events—the so-called ‘climategate’ imbroglio and the glacial-melt error in the IPCCʼs 2007 report—on public opinion regarding climate change. There has been an overall decline of public interest in climate change after 2007, accompanied by spikes of interest with a half-life of six days for these two media events. The brevity of public interest in ‘climategate’ stands in contrast to the continued and growing fascination of the ‘skeptic’ blogosphere with that event. These results document the assertion that conspiratory obsession by a small number of people should not be mistaken for general public interest.