Core Project
Public perceptions of the health risks of climate change and priorities for action
Background
Climate change is placing people’s health at risk. Rising global temperatures are increasing the frequency, duration and severity of extreme weather events in the UK, including flooding and heat waves. The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are driving up global temperatures are also the major source of poor air quality.
In democratic societies, the mandate for government action comes from the public. Taking account of public perspectives and concerns also facilitates effective policy making. However, little is known about public perceptions of health and climate change or about their priorities for government action.
Aims
Focusing on adults in the UK, the project aims to provide evidence on:
- people’s perceptions of the health impacts of climate change
- their priorities for action by government to address the health impacts of climate change
- their willingness to pay (WTP)¹ to reduce the health impacts of climate change
The project timeline (April 2020-March 2022) meant it was conducted against the backdrop of the COVID-19 epidemic and the associated restrictions on people’s lives. The first national lockdown was imposed in March 2020, with ‘stay at home’ measures involving the closure of schools, workplaces and public amenities and restrictions on personal movement and social interaction outside the home. Restrictions continued through 2020, with further national lockdowns in 2021.
The project’s timeframe also included the meeting of the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in November 2021 in Glasgow. This major global forum generated extensive coverage in the UK national press (our analyses) and on social media. The timing of COP26 therefore provided an opportunity to examine whether, in the context of COVID-19, increased climate change coverage was associated with increased public concern.
Methods
We conducted UK-wide quantitative surveys of adults aged ≥18 years, and a qualitative study of those aged ≥15 years living in England.
Conducted across 2021 and early 2022, the quantitative surveys addressed all three of the project aims: perceptions of the health impacts of climate change, priorities for action and willingness to pay. Surveys were conducted via Qualtrics, an online survey platform that provides access to a UK-wide panel of people aged ≥18 years who have agreed to be contacted about participation in surveys. Quota-controlled recruitment was used to match the national UK population for gender, age group, ethnic group, educational attainment and location (UK country/England region.
Conducted in 2021, the qualitative study focused on perceptions of the health impacts of climate change and priorities for action. Participants living in urban and rural locations were recruited via community organisations. Based on IMD (Indicators of Multiple Deprivation), a measure of relative deprivation at small local area level, the sample was skewed, with a higher proportion living in both the least and most deprived deciles. With respect to its health profile, the sample was more evenly distributed across deciles.
Outcomes
The project rests on a series of UK-wide quantitative surveys, conducted across 2021 and early 2022, and a small qualitative study, conducted in 2021.
Perceptions of the health impact of climate change
Most people are concerned about climate change. Concern did not
decline during the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated restrictions on
everyday life.
In UK-wide surveys, the majority (over 60%) perceived climate change to be already having an impact on people’s health in the UK. However, in the qualitative study, participants were less certain whether climate change had health impacts. Those with experience of floods and air pollution, personally and/or in their local area, were more likely to be concerned about climate change and to perceive it as already affecting the health of people in the UK.
Public concern about climate change was little affected by the increased UK media coverage of climate change associated with the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Glasgow in November 2021.
Priorities for action and their willingness to pay
Air pollution and flooding were consistently identified as the major
priorities for national and local government to address in order to
protect people’s health from climate change. Again, experience mattered:
those with experience of these exposures were more likely to select
them as the top priorities for government action.
The UK-wide surveys also explored people’s willingness to pay (WTP) to reduce the health and fatality risks from heatwave and floods. The evidence suggests that the public values reducing these risks. Personal exposure to heatwave and floods, respectively, increased WTP to reduce their associated health risks.
Outputs
Download the Final Report
Download the Executive Summary
Download the report for study particpants: Public perceptions of the health risks of climate change and priorities for action: Summary for study participant
Journal Articles:
View journal article: Public Perceptions of Climate Change and Its Health Impacts: Taking Account of People’s Exposure to Floods and Air Pollution
View journal article: Public priorities for local action to reduce the health impacts of climate change: Evidence from a UK survey
View journal article: I don't really associate climate change with actual people's health’: a qualitative study in England of perceptions of climate change and its impacts on health
View journal article: Did Increased Media Coverage of Climate Change and the COVID19 Pandemic Affect Climate Change Concern and Issue Salience in the UK in 2021?
Advisory Group
- Jennifer Bostock, Public Health Policy Research Unit co-lead for public involvement
- Dr Jacqui Cotton, National Community Resilience Manager, Environment Agency
- Dr Emer O’Connell, Consultant in Public Health, UKHSA
- Lottie Oram, Lead Analyst Health Disparities, Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)
- Joel Moffat, Lead Analyst Public Health Systems and Strategy (DHSC)
- Adele Rae, General Manager, Kirkstall Valley Development Trust
- Dr Harriet Smith, Social Researcher, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
- Matt Bain, Social Researcher, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
- Dr Rupert Suckling, Director of Public Health, Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council
- Dr Dagmar Zeuner, Director of Public Health, London Borough of Merton