Changing Views on Climate Change: Trends and Predictors Among Students at the University of Michigan (U-M)

Robert Marans (University of Michigan)

In fall 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued it latest report covering the impacts of global warming of 1.5 C. The report covers impacts on human health and well-being as well as ecosystems and outlines actions needed to address the imminent set of problems. While we may have the technological capabilities to address many of these problems, society lacks the political and societal will to do so. That is, a societal shift toward a culture of sustainability is needed. A culture of sustainability reflects a set of values, behaviors, and levels of understanding about climate change, its causes, and actions necessary to modify it. Universities represent one place where this shift can happen. As part of U-M’s efforts to bring about change and measure progress in moving toward a culture of sustainability student views about climate change have been measured annually since 2012.

Following an overview of U–M’s Sustainability Cultural Indicators Program (SCIP) and the types of survey data collected, the paper discusses changing student attitudes about climate change over the 5 year period. Findings covering changes in the degree of certainty that climate change is happening, the belief that climate change is caused by human activity, and the relative importance of climate change to each student personally are reviewed. Findings are then compared with findings from a national sample of the U. S. population. Next, models showing antecedent conditions that could affect outcomes as well as how these outcomes impact pro-environmental behaviors are presented. Pro-environmental behaviors include mode of travel to and from campus, efforts to conserve energy and reduce waste, and engagement in pro-environmental activities off campus. Both cross sectional and panel data are used to test the models. Finally, the implications for training future environmental activists and educating the public are discussed.