How extreme weather influences public support for climate policies

A PIONEERING study involving international researchers, including a contributor from Stellenbosch University, has revealed that awareness of the connection between extreme weather events and climate change significantly influences public support for climate policies.

- 

Published in the esteemed journal Nature Climate Change on 1 July, this research sheds light on how varying extreme weather experiences sway opinions, particularly in the Global South.

The study examined how individuals' experiences with extreme weather events and their belief that these occurrences are linked to climate change predict their support for five key climate policies: increasing taxes on carbon-intensive foods, raising taxes on fossil fuels, expanding public transportation infrastructure, increasing the use of sustainable energy, and protecting forested and land areas.