Culture change for climate change: Attitudes, perceptions, and experiences with climate change among university members and neighbors

• Cassi Claytor ^[1] ; Brian Gran ^[1] ; Ina Martin ^[1] ; Cyrus Taylor ^[1]
  1. [1] Case Western Reserve University

     Case Western Reserve University

     City of Cleveland, Estados Unidos

     
• Localización: Socioecos 2024. Conference Proceedings June 6-7, 2024: climate change, sustainability and socio-ecological practices / Benjamín Tejerina Montaña (ed. lit.), Cristina Miranda de Almeida De Barros (ed. lit.), Clara Acuña Rodríguez (ed. lit.), 2024, ISBN 978-84-9082-680-5, págs. 530-543
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Urban universities often serve as powerful institutions, capable of leveraging resources to address issues at the root of environmental injustices and to promote climate friendly policies. However, universities, and their various constituents may differ in how they see their responsibilities and their roles as a partner with local communities. The goals of the study were twofold. First, it was to investigate in the United States attitudes and perceptions of climate change across a range of university stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, administrators, and residents of the predominantly Black communities adjacent to the university. Second, we examined attitudes about the actions necessary and who is responsible for efforts to reduce negative impacts of climate change. Preliminary analyses indicate that knowledge of the problem ranges in accuracy and level of technical precision, with residents of the nearby community often lacking formal knowledge, to university faculty, who possess expertise in the subject. Climate change literacy is a potential area where universities can play a role in engaging with community members. Nonetheless both groups drew from personal experiences, firsthand knowledge, and observations to support the claims that climate change exists and was a concern to them. Additionally, the view that efforts to combat climate change must extend beyond the individual to institutions and governments at different levels was shared across both groups. It was widely acknowledged that there are limits to what individuals can do to improve conditions.

    Important divergences were evident along racial lines. Black residents of the neighboring community often drew upon religion and faith to make sense of and to cope with what they saw as detrimental effects of climate change. This study indicates that collaboration between universities and their neighbors on climate change has potential to strengthen trust, while also pursuing long-term efforts to improve people’s lives and promote environmental justice. The results have implications for CWRU, but also to urban universities more broadly, and reveal that universities, in multiple capacities, have special responsibilities when it comes to creating cultural changes around climate change.