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Beliefs and values explain international differences in perception of solar radiation management: insights from a cross-country survey

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  • Vivianne H. M. Visschers

    (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland)

  • Jing Shi

    (ETH Zurich, Institute for Environmental Decisions, Consumer Behavior)

  • Michael Siegrist

    (ETH Zurich, Institute for Environmental Decisions, Consumer Behavior)

  • Joseph Arvai

    (University of Michigan
    Decision Research)

Abstract

Solar radiation management (SRM) aims to counteract the negative consequences of global warming and is considered for deployment in the event that mitigation and adaptation efforts appear insufficient. However, because the potential ecological and political side effects of SRM are not well understood, and because SRM will cross national boundaries, an international research perspective on the general public’s perception of this technology is required. We conducted an online survey on the general public’s perception and acceptance of SRM in Canada, China, Germany, Switzerland, the UK, and the USA. Our findings confirmed the need for an international perspective, as we found several cross-country differences. Chinese respondents, for example, indicated greater acceptance for SRM than their North American and European counterparts. Moreover, results of regression analyses on acceptance of SRM by country revealed that lower acceptability ratings for SRM in Canada and Europe were mostly related to stronger beliefs that SRM tampers with nature. Chinese respondents, by contrast, were more accepting of SRM when they held stronger beliefs that it may reduce the motivation to adopt burdensome climate change mitigation efforts. Although our research—and previous studies—suggest that opposition to SRM remains, dismissing the technology entirely on these grounds and without conducting a careful, cross-national, and transdisciplinary decision-support process to set up an international policy regime seems premature as people from countries that are less prepared to mitigate and adapt to climate change seem to be more supportive of SRM.

Suggested Citation

  • Vivianne H. M. Visschers & Jing Shi & Michael Siegrist & Joseph Arvai, 2017. "Beliefs and values explain international differences in perception of solar radiation management: insights from a cross-country survey," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 142(3), pages 531-544, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:142:y:2017:i:3:d:10.1007_s10584-017-1970-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-017-1970-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Toby Bolsen & Risa Palm & Russell E. Luke, 2023. "Public response to solar geoengineering: how media frames about stratospheric aerosol injection affect opinions," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(8), pages 1-21, August.
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    5. Joshua B. Horton & Kerryn Brent & Zhen Dai & Tyler Felgenhauer & Oliver Geden & Jan McDonald & Jeffrey McGee & Felix Schenuit & Jianhua Xu, 2023. "Solar geoengineering research programs on national agendas: a comparative analysis of Germany, China, Australia, and the United States," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(4), pages 1-18, April.
    6. Beckage, Brian & Lacasse, Katherine & Raimi, Kaitlin T. & Visioni, Daniele, 2023. "Integrating Risk Perception with Climate Models to Understand the Potential Deployment of Solar Radiation Modification to Mitigate Climate Change," RFF Working Paper Series 23-22, Resources for the Future.
    7. Alex Segrè Cohen & Nancy G. Love & Joseph Árvai, 2020. "Communicating the Risks and Benefits of Human Urine-Derived Fertilizer," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-14, November.
    8. Shannan K. Sweet & Jonathon P. Schuldt & Johannes Lehmann & Deborah A. Bossio & Dominic Woolf, 2021. "Perceptions of naturalness predict US public support for Soil Carbon Storage as a climate solution," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 166(1), pages 1-15, May.
    9. Chad M. Baum & Livia Fritz & Sean Low & Benjamin K. Sovacool, 2024. "Public perceptions and support of climate intervention technologies across the Global North and Global South," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    10. Kimberly S. Wolske & Kaitlin T. Raimi & Victoria Campbell-Arvai & P. Sol Hart, 2019. "Public support for carbon dioxide removal strategies: the role of tampering with nature perceptions," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 152(3), pages 345-361, March.
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    13. Masahiro Sugiyama & Hiroshi Deguchi & Arisa Ema & Atsuo Kishimoto & Junichiro Mori & Hideaki Shiroyama & Roland W. Scholz, 2017. "Unintended Side Effects of Digital Transition: Perspectives of Japanese Experts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-20, November.
    14. Zhen Dai & Elizabeth T. Burns & Peter J. Irvine & Dustin H. Tingley & Jianhua Xu & David W. Keith, 2021. "Elicitation of US and Chinese expert judgments show consistent views on solar geoengineering," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-9, December.
    15. Klaus, Geraldine & Ernst, Andreas & Oswald, Lisa, 2020. "Psychological factors influencing laypersons’ acceptance of climate engineering, climate change mitigation and business as usual scenarios," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).

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