January 29, 2015

public perceptions of climate change after the 2014 flooding

January 2014 was the wettest in Southern England since 1910. Although it is difficult to attribute any single set of events to climate change, according to the World Meteorological Organisation these UK storms were part of a pattern of extreme global weather events occurring in 2014 consistent with the predictions of climate models.

The UK winter flooding events provided a unique scientific opportunity to test several hypotheses about the links between extreme weather experiences and climate beliefs. A new report to be launched on 29^th January at the Royal Society describes the findings of a nationally representative Ipsos-Mori survey of public perceptions of climate change in Britain, particularly how they are influenced by extreme weather.

The survey was designed by researchers from Cardiff University and the University of Nottingham, and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

The authors came to the SMC to hear the researchers describe their findings including:

• how climate change beliefs have changed among the British public
• how the public viewed the winter flooding events and the extent to they were associated with climate change
• experiences and beliefs of those most directly affected using data from the flood-affected areas

Speakers:

Prof Nick Pidgeon, Cardiff University (report author)

Dr Christina Demski, Cardiff University (report author)