Perceptions of Climate Change Among Ghanaian Citizens

Climate risk perceptions in Africa are likely to differ significantly from those in more industrialized countries. According to the literature, understanding such perceptions in the African context remains underexplored (Steynor and Pasquin, 2019). Therefore, it becomes increasingly relevant to ask: How do citizens perceive the risks associated with climate change? Understanding this is essential to guide policies and gain public support for adaptation and mitigation measures.

The objective of the study Perceptions of Climate Change Among Ghanaian Citizens, conducted within the LUMEN project and discussed during the latest roundtable organized by the University of Florence research unit, is to investigate — using Afrobarometer data — the level of environmental awareness among the population by analyzing three dimensions: knowledge, direct experience, and perception of pollution issues.

A cluster analysis identified three distinct profiles of citizens: the Indifferent, those with a high perception of environmental risk, and those who have directly experienced extreme climate events.

In this initial phase of the research, the analysis suggests that the differences observed among citizen profiles are less related to formal knowledge and more to the intensity of personal exposure and perceived sensitivity to environmental phenomena.