The role of climate change awareness for trust in institutions in sub-Saharan Africa

verfasst von: Peter Dirksmeier, Kerstin Nolte, Lars Mewes, Leonie Tuitjer
Abstract: Within the context of climate change in sub-Saharan Africa, trust in institutions is an important prerequisite to implement climate change adaptation and mitigation policies. There is a lack of systematic investigation of the relationship between climate change awareness, conflicts, and trust in institutions. We address this pressing research gap based on a regression analysis with trust in institutions as dependent variables, and climate change awareness and violence as independent variables drawing on Afrobarometer individual data and aggregated data on armed conflicts. Our main findings indicate that trust in institutions in sub-Saharan Africa is influenced by both the individual climate change awareness and the violence context. First, we find a negative relationship between those who are aware of climate change and trust in institutions. Second, we observe a socio-economic divide: young, urban and educated parts of the population as well as those who feel their ethnic group is treated unfairly do not trust institutions. Third, we see a regional divide: those far from political centres are not aware of climate change, and those close to the political centres do not trust institutions.
Organisationseinheit(en): Institut für Wirtschafts- und Kulturgeographie
Externe Organisation(en): Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Ländliche Räume, Wald und Fischerei
Universität Bremen
Typ: Letter
Journal: Environmental research letters
Band: 18
ISSN: 1748-9326
Publikationsdatum: 07.09.2023
Publikationsstatus: Veröffentlicht
Peer-reviewed: Ja
ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete: Erneuerbare Energien, Nachhaltigkeit und Umwelt, Umweltwissenschaften (insg.), Öffentliche Gesundheit, Umwelt- und Arbeitsmedizin
Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung: SDG 3 – Gute Gesundheit und Wohlergehen, SDG 7 – Erschwingliche und saubere Energie, SDG 13 – Klimaschutzmaßnahmen, SDG 16 – Frieden, Gerechtigkeit und starke Institutionen
Elektronische Version(en): https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/acf0d6 (Zugang: Offen)