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The Distribution of Climate Change Public Opinion in Canada

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  • Matto Mildenberger
  • Peter Howe
  • Erick Lachapelle
  • Leah Stokes
  • Jennifer Marlon
  • Timothy Gravelle

Abstract

While climate scientists have developed high resolution data sets on the distribution of climate risks, we still lack comparable data on the local distribution of public climate change opinions. This paper provides the first effort to estimate local climate and energy opinion variability outside the United States. Using a multi-level regression and post-stratification (MRP) approach, we estimate opinion in federal electoral districts and provinces. We demonstrate that a majority of the Canadian public consistently believes that climate change is happening. Belief in climate change’s causes varies geographically, with more people attributing it to human activity in urban as opposed to rural areas. Most prominently, we find majority support for carbon cap and trade policy in every province and district. By contrast, support for carbon taxation is more heterogeneous. Compared to the distribution of US climate opinions, Canadians believe climate change is happening at higher levels. This new opinion data set will support climate policy analysis and climate policy decision making at national, provincial and local levels.

Suggested Citation

  • Matto Mildenberger & Peter Howe & Erick Lachapelle & Leah Stokes & Jennifer Marlon & Timothy Gravelle, 2016. "The Distribution of Climate Change Public Opinion in Canada," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(8), pages 1-14, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0159774
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159774
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Guillaume Peterson St-Laurent & Shannon Hagerman & Robert Kozak, 2018. "What risks matter? Public views about assisted migration and other climate-adaptive reforestation strategies," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 151(3), pages 573-587, December.
    4. Matto Mildenberger & Jennifer R. Marlon & Peter D. Howe & Anthony Leiserowitz, 2017. "The spatial distribution of Republican and Democratic climate opinions at state and local scales," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 145(3), pages 539-548, December.
    5. Ali, Amjad & Esposito, Luca & Gatto, Andrea, 2023. "Energy transition and public behavior in Italy: A structural equation modeling," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    6. Long, Zoe & Axsen, Jonn & Kitt, Shelby, 2020. "Public support for supply-focused transport policies: Vehicle emissions, low-carbon fuels, and ZEV sales standards in Canada and California," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 98-115.
    7. Simon Legault & Daniel Houle & Antoine Plouffe & Aitor Ameztegui & Diane Kuehn & Lisa Chase & Anne Blondlot & Timothy D Perkins, 2019. "Perceptions of U.S. and Canadian maple syrup producers toward climate change, its impacts, and potential adaptation measures," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(4), pages 1-27, April.
    8. Inna Čábelková & Luboš Smutka & Wadim Strielkowski, 2022. "Public support for sustainable development and environmental policy: A case of the Czech Republic," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(1), pages 110-126, February.
    9. Odland, Severin & Rhodes, Ekaterina & Corbett, Meghan & Pardy, Aaron, 2023. "What policies do homeowners prefer for building decarbonization and why? An exploration of climate policy support in Canada," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    10. Kitt, Shelby & Axsen, Jonn & Long, Zoe & Rhodes, Ekaterina, 2021. "The role of trust in citizen acceptance of climate policy: Comparing perceptions of government competence, integrity and value similarity," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    11. Sverker C. Jagers & Erick Lachapelle & Johan Martinsson & Simon Matti, 2021. "Bridging the ideological gap? How fairness perceptions mediate the effect of revenue recycling on public support for carbon taxes in the United States, Canada and Germany," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 38(5), pages 529-554, September.
    12. Houle, David, 2019. "Un climat démocratique? Le rôle de l’opinion publique dans l’adoption de la tarification du carbone dans les provinces canadiennes," SocArXiv atkz8, Center for Open Science.
    13. Thomas, Melanee & DeCillia, Brooks & Santos, John B. & Thorlakson, Lori, 2022. "Great expectations: Public opinion about energy transition," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    14. Sheena A. Stewart & Katherine D. Arbuthnott & David J. Sauchyn, 2023. "Climate Change Perceptions and Associated Characteristics in Canadian Prairie Agricultural Producers," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-17, December.
    15. Long, Zoe & Kitt, Shelby & Axsen, Jonn, 2021. "Who supports which low-carbon transport policies? Characterizing heterogeneity among Canadian citizens," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    16. Hammond, William & Axsen, Jonn & Kjeang, Erik, 2020. "How to slash greenhouse gas emissions in the freight sector: Policy insights from a technology-adoption model of Canada," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).

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