Summary of "Public Understanding of Climate Change Adaptation" Survey Results

The Center for Climate Change Adaptation at the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) collects, organizes, analyzes, and researches information on climate change impacts and adaptation, and disseminates the results to help governments and local governments formulate the National Plan for Adaptation to the Impacts of Climate Change and implement adaptation measures, as well as to help other entities, including businesses and individuals, in their efforts to adapt to climate change. We also contribute to the efforts of various entities, including businesses and individuals, to adapt to climate change.
As part of this effort, we conducted an Internet survey on "Public Understanding of Climate Change Adaptation" (conducted from March 8 to March 10, 2022). Here is a summary of the survey results.

1. Respondent demographics

The survey was conducted in seven regions where Regional Councils for Climate Change Adaptation have been established, with the number of respondents set at 800 for each region (calculated from the population of the population with an expected response rate of 25%, a 3% margin of error, and a 95% confidence level), in order to detect a certain degree of continuous change in the future. The number of respondents was then allocated according to the population by sex and age within each region. Gender and other categories were not allocated.

2. The status of recognition and provision of information on climate change impacts

The percentage of respondents who "knew" about the effects of climate change ranged from 70.8% to 73.0% in each region in this survey. There were no distinctive differences by region, with approximately 70% of respondents in all regions indicating that they were "aware" of the effects of climate change.

Note: Overall figures are simple totals that do not take into account differences in population by region. (The same applies to Figure 12 below.)

Regarding the provision of information on climate change impacts, a total of 45.1-49.9%, or about half of the respondents (2.8-4.1% "fully provided" and 42.4-46.4% "somewhat provided") indicated that the provision of information on climate change impacts is satisfactory.
A regional comparison shows no major differences among regions, but a slightly higher percentage of respondents in Hokkaido, where the climate is harsh in terms of winter cold and other factors, indicated a lack of provision.

3. Level of interest in climate change impacts

With regard to interest in climate change, "very interested" (17.0-23.1%) and "interested" (51.8-56.6%), with more than 70% of respondents in all regions indicating that they are interested in the issue.

4. Do you feel climate change impacts in your daily life?

The top responses for what they feel the effects of climate change in their daily lives were "summer heat," "increased wind and flood damage," "heavy rainfall," and "cold and snowy winters.
By region, the Western Japan region tended to have a higher response rate for "intensity of rainfall" and the Eastern Japan region for "winter cold and snowfall.

5. Impacts of climate change that you find particularly problematic.

The most frequently cited impact of climate change as being particularly problematic was "an increase in weather disasters such as floods, storm surges, and tidal waves. This was followed by "reduced quality and yield of agricultural products and fish catches," "damage to infrastructure and lifelines, such as power outages and traffic disruption due to heavy rains and storms," and "changes in wildlife and plant habitats.
Although there were not large differences by region, the western Japan region tended to have more responses for "Increase in weather disasters" and "Increase in droughts. In addition, "Damage to infrastructure and lifelines due to torrential rains and caps" led the results, with "Kyushu/Okinawa" showing a noticeably higher response rate in general.

6. Climate Change Adaptation Awareness and Information You Want to Know

Awareness of climate change adaptation ranged from 4.8% to 7.0%, "I knew both the term and the initiatives" (4.8-7.0%), "I did not know the term, but I knew the initiatives" (15.6-21.4%), and "I knew the term, but I did not know the initiatives" (17.8-21.5%).
(Climate change adaptation perceptions by region, gender, and age are included in the second half of this brief for reference.)

In terms of information they would like to know about climate change, the top six items, from "Impacts of climate change on Japan" to "National efforts to adapt to climate change," had a response rate of more than 30%.
While there was no significant difference in responses by region, the response rates tended to be slightly higher in "Hokkaido" and "Kyushu/Okinawa.

7. Climate change adaptation efforts in practice and new efforts you would like to implement in the future

As for climate change adaptation efforts in practice, more than 40% of respondents in each region are taking measures to prevent heat stroke, around 30% are using hazard maps, and 20% to 30% are buying local agricultural and fishery products, although the percentage varies slightly from region to region. ～The third most common practice is the purchase of local agricultural and fishery products, which varies slightly from region to region, but is in the 20% range or lower.
The results of responses by region show distinctive results: "Kyushu/Okinawa" is higher in heat stroke prevention and use of hazard maps; "Hokkaido," "Tohoku," and "Kyushu/Okinawa" are higher in purchasing local agricultural and fishery products; and "Hokkaido," "Tohoku," and "Chubu" are higher in insulating homes.

Responses for climate change adaptation efforts that they are not currently engaged in and would like to implement in the future were below those of those already engaged in many of the items. In terms of ranking, the top responses were obtaining information on climate change, preserving and maintaining nature and other natural resources around us, and saving water and conserving water resources. On the other hand, the response rate for initiatives currently being implemented, such as measures to prevent heat stroke, dropped significantly to just over 10%. Future efforts can be read as a shift in awareness from personal to community and disaster preparedness.
In addition, the results for "observing and sharing information on climate change impacts on familiar plants and animals" were slightly higher than those for initiatives already in practice in Hokkaido, Chubu, Kinki, Chugoku/Shikoku, and Kyushu/Okinawa.

8. Challenges to climate change adaptation practices

The most common challenges to climate change adaptation practices were lack of information about efforts (40.4%-45.4%), economic costs (36.9%-41.1%), and uncertainty about the effects of climate change adaptation (34.6%-39.5%).
Although no distinctive differences in responses could be discerned when comparing by region, the response rates for lack of information on initiatives seem to be slightly higher in the "Chugoku/Shikoku" and "Kyushu/Okinawa" regions.

9. Efforts expected from governments regarding climate change adaptation

In terms of expectations of the government regarding climate change adaptation efforts, the top responses were "disaster prevention measures against floods, storm surges and tidal waves," "measures to improve crop quality, yield and catch," and "measures to prevent drought and conserve water resources," with high responses related to disaster prevention and food and beverage conservation.

The Center for Climate Change Adaptation of the National Institute for Environmental Studies will continue to conduct similar understanding surveys in the future, and will use the survey results to promote climate change adaptation.

Reference (Awareness of climate change adaptation by region, gender, and age)

[Survey Summary]

1．Purpose of the Survey

To serve as a reference for future various types of support provided by the Center for Climate Change Adaptation through A-PLAT (Climate Change Adaptation Information Platform) and other means.

2．Investigators

Residence: 7 regions in Japan (Hokkaido region, Tohoku region, Kanto region, Chubu region, Kinki region, Chugoku and Shikoku region, Kyushu and Okinawa region)
Age: 18-29, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and older
Gender: male, female, (other)*.
Allocation: each region x age x gender (*Others were left out of the allocation)

3．Survey method

Internet survey

4．Survey Period

Tuesday, March 8, 2022 - Thursday, March 10, 2022

5．How to Read the Survey Results

• n represents the number of respondents.
• Response rates (%) are rounded to the first decimal place. Therefore, the total may not always equal 100%.
• There are both single and multiple responses to a question. For questions with multiple responses, the total response rate (%) may exceed 100%.
• Values with n less than 30 are for reference only.

[List of survey items]

SA (single answer): Single answer MA (multiple answers): Multiple answers *MT: Matrix (table set)