Perception, Knowledge, Attitude and Behavior Toward Climate Change—A Survey Among Citizens in Timisoara, Romania

Abstract

Climate change has notable effects in the recent decades, as impacting the ecological environment, social–economic development and public health, affecting the citizens’ everyday lives. The extreme meteorological events recorded in recent years in Romania and the threats posed by climate change have been particularly pronounced in cities. Climate change is a significant threat to the well-being of people and affects all of the social–economic sectors. The purpose of the study is to assess the perception of Timisoara’s citizens on climate change. Our key findings reveal data on citizens’ perception, attitude, behavior and general knowledge of climate change and on the importance of climate change in the citizens’ lives. The study results provide valuable insight into the future work of the local government decision-makers to develop well-defined strategies and mitigation plans for climate change and appropriate adaptation steps. Moreover, understanding the need for knowledge and information on climate change is crucial in reshaping the communication tools and channels for more targeted information dissemination, enabling collaboration in a new and improved way. The citizens’ attitude and support as policy receivers are highly important for the successful implementation of the future Local Climate Action Plan.