The Influence of Cross-Cultural Language and Background on Climate Change Perception – An Empirical Investigation

There is a crucial importance of looking at climate change from the perspective of cultures and of individuals in order to implement adaptation and mitigation strategies that are appropriate at local scale. Cognizant to this, this paper employed a focus on the local scale and on individuals in bringing to light the variety of climate change meanings within the same physical space using respondents from two geopolitical zones in Nigeria (South-South and South-West). Empirically, this paper presented the results of in-depth interviews and data analysis from survey (questionnaire) with South-south and South-west respondents who are resident in Port Harcourt city. This approach permitted the investigation of the ways that construal levels inform climate change meanings across cultures. The empirical findings disclose the role that culture plays in climate change´s perception in terms of values, experiences, understandings of nature and trust in the self and in others as agents of change. The findings from the tested hypotheses reveal that there are significant relationships between geopolitical zone and cultural background, and climate change perception of people. This paper highlights the importance of taking into account society and individuals in the climate change debate and of recognizing the role of culture in individuals´ climate change meanings. Only by so doing, will it be possible to effectively tackle climate change and to convert it from threat into social opportunity.