The available evidence shows that humanity is tracing an unsustainable path in its relationship with the environment. Environmental and climate culture is one of the essential foundations for a transition towards more sustainable models of life (Abson et al., 2017). In the current scenario of climate emergency, it is fundamental for society to understand the causes and the consequences of climate change, and for this to translate into behaviours that give rise to actions of prevention, adaptation and mitigation. Climate models put Spain among the most vulnerable EU countries to the impacts of climate change. Overcoming the present climate crisis involves, among others, three critical points: a) implementation of climate policies; b) acceptance of these policies by society, and c) behaviours in favour of the environment.

Hitherto, there has been no data on levels of knowledge about climate change in Spain or on their relationship with levels of concern and climatically sustainable habits; hence, it has not been possible to assess whether current transfer of climate knowledge to society is sufficient. This study poses three objectives to address these issues: a) to evaluate levels of knowledge on climate change among Spanish young people and adults; b) to determine their level of concern and anxiety in the face of the present and future consequences of climate change, and c) to analyse their behaviours and climate habits. This will allow for a better understanding of the effectiveness or otherwise of the information conveyed to the Spanish population on: a) climate change; b) its causes and consequences, and c) the climate sustainability of their habits.

In order to achieve these objectives, an online survey was carried out on adults (aged 35-54) and young people (aged 14-18): 3,050 interviews throughout the Spanish territory. The study was conducted with a number and a distribution of participants that met representativeness criteria regarding age, gender and autonomous community. The survey was divided into three main sections. The first section sought to evaluate the respondent’s level of knowledge about climate change (Leiserowitz and Smith, 2011); the second section dealt with the evaluation of levels of concern and anxiety about climate change (Stewart, 2021), and the third section measured those habits of the population that have a potential impact on the climate (climate habits) (Lange and Dewitte, 2019).

The level of knowledge about climate change (knowledge index) was analysed by means of 34 questions on different aspects of climate change. By ages, the average knowledge index of young people and adults is moderate, and within the group with a high knowledge index, that of adults is higher than that of young people. Among young people, those aged 14-16 know a little more about the issue than those aged 17-18. Gender does not seem to be a factor for the level of knowledge among young people. The type of town in which they live, however, does have an effect. Those who live in small towns (with a population of under 5,000) have less knowledge. In the case of adults, a clear positive relationship is found between educational and income level and level of knowledge: an adult with a university education, without children and with a higher income has slightly more knowledge. It should be noted that this relationship may be redundant, since income and education levels are, in general, closely interrelated.

The level of concern about climate change was evaluated by means of nine questions related to levels of concern and anxiety caused by climate change. In Spain, levels of concern, among young people and adults alike, are very high. Thus, it was estimated that over 50% of the study participants are highly concerned about the consequences associated with climate change. It should be noted that no differences were found between young people and adults as regards their levels of concern.
However, gender was found to be a determining factor for the concern index: women show greater concern than men, among young people and adults alike. Income level also makes a difference, although there is no clear trend depending on income brackets. As is the case with the climate change knowledge index, young people living in small towns (population of under 5,000) display a lower level of concern.

Sustainable habits related to climate change were assessed using the climate habits index, based on 17 questions about everyday habits. No differences were found between young people and adults, and both groups show an intermediate level of climate-responsible habits.
In young people and adults, women’s habits are more sustainable and environmentally and climate-friendly, although most men and women stand in the intermediate category. Likewise, adults without children have slightly more sustainable habits.
 

The relationship between various socioeconomic aspects and levels of knowledge, concern and climate habits was evaluated using statistical models.
A clear relationship was found between levels of knowledge, levels of concern and the incidence of sustainable habits. Those who know more about climate change and state that they are more concerned about it acquire more responsible climate habits.

Furthermore, levels of knowledge, concern and habits are also related to income, educational level and the fact of having experienced the consequences of climate change personally. This last circumstance appears to be decisive, as the level of knowledge about climate change of those who have suffered its consequences (48% of respondents) is higher and the level of concern is considerably greater, to the extent that it is reflected in the habits they adopt.

Most of the population (over 90% of respondents) is aware that climate change is a fact, but a large percentage (around 80%) feel that they need considerably more information to understand its causes, its consequences and possible ways to mitigate it and adapt to it. Perhaps as a result of this lack of information, only 60% of those interviewed believe that human activity is the main cause of climate change.
Around 65% of the adults and young people who answered the survey would strongly agree to the government implementing more information and awareness-raising programmes on climate change. Similarly, 64% strongly agree with climate education being integrated into schools.
 

Young people and adults use different information sources to understand climate change and its consequences. Young people get information mostly from the schools where they study (60%), the internet (55%), social media (45%) and documentaries and films (44%). Family and friends also represent an important source of information for them (42%). Adults, unlike young people, have no reference source equivalent to schools, which accounts for their tendency to be informed through documentaries/films (47%), the internet (46%) and books and magazines (39%). Cultural events related to climate change, such as exhibitions and activities, are also an important source of information (young people 38%, adults 31%).
It is clear from the previous section that there is widespread support for climate change awareness-raising and information programmes promoted by the public administration, yet it is found that official information sources do not figure at present among the main information resources used by the population.

The level of knowledge about climate change of young people and adults alike can be classified as intermediate, which indicates the existence of substantial room for action to develop a climate culture. Thus, although 90% of respondents recognise that climate change is a fact, 40% identify its causes incorrectly. This leads to reflection on two issues. First, it shows that education and the media today are ineffective or insufficient to foster the development of a solid climate culture. And second, it can be interpreted as an indicator of the uncontrolled presence of fake information on climate change and the impact it has on the population. The survey also reveals that a large percentage of participants state that they need more information to understand and know the causes of climate change and its consequences and possible solutions. Furthermore, they lend significant support to the implementation of climate education, both in schools and through awareness-raising programmes promoted by the public administration.

In general terms, the respondents’ level of knowledge is not particularly high, but their level of concern about climate change is. This is so because the concern expressed by the population is influenced not only by their level of knowledge but also by the fact of having suffered the consequences of climate change personally (48% of those interviewed stated that they had experienced them). The results suggest that an increase in educational initiatives and/or dissemination of information ‒ the population is receptive to it ‒ could translate into an increase in climate habits, although the latter are also clearly conditioned by the level of income of the person involved. This last point is important, as income can be a limiting factor in the adoption of climatically more sustainable habits.
 

The indices calculated in this study are of a broad nature and do not allow any detailed information to be obtained on levels in the different areas of knowledge, concern and habits of the groups studied. In order to achieve this, more detailed analyses would be required.
It is important to bear in mind that all the conclusions refer to the two age groups considered (14-18 and 35-54), and cannot be extrapolated to other age ranges.

ABSON, D. J., J. FISCHER, J. LEVENTON, et al. (2017): «Leverage points for sustainability transformation», Ambio, 46(1), 30-39.  

CHAN, K. M. A., D. R. BOYD, R. K. GOULD, et al. (2020): «Levers and leverage points for pathways to sustainability», People and Nature, julio ,  pan3.10124 . 

LANGE, F., and S. DEWITTE (2019): «Measuring pro-environmental behavior: Review and recommendations», Journal of Environmental Psychology, 63, 92-100.  

LEISEROWITZ, A., y N. SMITH (2011): American Teens’ Knowledge of Climate Change. Yale University. New Haven, CT: Yale Project on Climate Change . Communication. 

STEWART, A. E. (2021): «Psychometric Properties of the Climate Change Worry Scale», International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(2), 1-22.