Influence of Religion, Culture and Education on Perception of Climate Change, and its Implications

Mikiyasu Nakayama; Irene Taafaki; Takuia Uakeia; Jennifer Seru; Yol; a McKay; Hermon Lajar

doi:10.20965/jdr.2019.p1297

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JDR Vol.14 No.9 pp. 1297-1302

(2019)

doi: 10.20965/jdr.2019.p1297

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Influence of Religion, Culture and Education on Perception of Climate Change, and its Implications

Mikiyasu Nakayama^1,†, Irene Taafaki^2, Takuia Uakeia^3, Jennifer Seru^4, Yolanda McKay^2, and Hermon Lajar^4

^*1Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo
5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8563, Japan

^†Corresponding author

^*2Marshall Islands Campus, The University of the South Pacific, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands

^*3Kiribati Campus, The University of the South Pacific, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati

^*4College of the Marshall Islands, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands

Received:

May 24, 2019

Accepted:

July 22, 2019

Published:

December 1, 2019

Keywords:

climate change, culture, education, perception, religion

Abstract

This study aims to quantitatively find the influence of religion, culture and education on the perception of climate change, and its implications. A survey was carried out, with students of a college and a university in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and a university in Kiribati answering a questionnaire. It emerged that education has more influence than religion or culture on people’s perceptions of climate change and its implications, both in the RMI and Kiribati. It is interesting because the two countries are not homogeneous in terms of history, culture and religion. Another surprising finding was that seemingly contradictory ideas (e.g., no flooding in the future as stated in the Bible, compared with the perceived sea level rise) exist in the minds of the majority of the respondents, both in RMI and Kiribati. Having conflicting ideas in one’s mind may delay one taking action to cope with climate change and its implications.

Cite this article as:

M. Nakayama, I. Taafaki, T. Uakeia, J. Seru, Y. McKay, and H. Lajar, “Influence of Religion, Culture and Education on Perception of Climate Change, and its Implications,” J. Disaster Res., Vol.14 No.9, pp. 1297-1302, 2019.

Data files:

References

[1] M. Nakayama, S. Drinkall, and D. Sasaki, “Climate Change, Migration, and Vulnerability: Overview of the Special Issue,” J. Disaster Res., Vol.14, No.9, pp. 1246-1253, 2019.
[2] M. Nakayama, “Aspirations of COM-FSM Students to Migrate and Livelihood Transition of Micronesians to USA,” Seminar at the College of Micronesia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, January 18, 2019.
[3] S. Schuman, J-V. Dokken, D. van Niekerk, and R. A. Loubser, “Religious beliefs and climate change adaptation: A study of three rural South African communities,” Jàmbá: J. of Disaster Risk Studies, Vol.10, No.1, a509, doi:10.4102/jamba.v10i1.509, 2018.
[4] C. Mortreux and J. Barnett, “Climate change, migration and adaptation in Funafuti, Tuvalu,” Global Environmental Change, Vol.19, No.1, pp. 105-112, doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2008.09.006, 2009.
[5] W. N. Adger, J. Barnett, K. Brown, N. Marshall, and K. O’brien, “Cultural dimensions of climate change impacts and adaptation,” Nature Climate Change, Vol.3, No.2, pp. 112-117, doi:10.1038/nclimate1666, 2013.
[6] A. J. Hoffman, “The culture and discourse of climate skepticism,” Strategic Organization, Vol.9, No.1, pp. 77-84, doi:10.1177/1476127010395065, 2011.
[7] A. Anderson, “Combating climate change through quality education,” Brookings Global Economy and Development, 2010.
[8] B. Crona et al., “Perceptions of climate change: linking local and global perceptions through a cultural knowledge approach,” Climatic Change, Vol.119, No.2, pp. 519-531, doi:10.1007/s10584-013-0708-5, 2013.

This article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationa License.

[1] [1] M. Nakayama, S. Drinkall, and D. Sasaki, “Climate Change, Migration, and Vulnerability: Overview of the Special Issue,” J. Disaster Res., Vol.14, No.9, pp. 1246-1253, 2019.

[2] [2] M. Nakayama, “Aspirations of COM-FSM Students to Migrate and Livelihood Transition of Micronesians to USA,” Seminar at the College of Micronesia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, January 18, 2019.

[3] [3] S. Schuman, J-V. Dokken, D. van Niekerk, and R. A. Loubser, “Religious beliefs and climate change adaptation: A study of three rural South African communities,” Jàmbá: J. of Disaster Risk Studies, Vol.10, No.1, a509, doi:10.4102/jamba.v10i1.509, 2018.

[4] [4] C. Mortreux and J. Barnett, “Climate change, migration and adaptation in Funafuti, Tuvalu,” Global Environmental Change, Vol.19, No.1, pp. 105-112, doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2008.09.006, 2009.

[5] [5] W. N. Adger, J. Barnett, K. Brown, N. Marshall, and K. O’brien, “Cultural dimensions of climate change impacts and adaptation,” Nature Climate Change, Vol.3, No.2, pp. 112-117, doi:10.1038/nclimate1666, 2013.

[6] [6] A. J. Hoffman, “The culture and discourse of climate skepticism,” Strategic Organization, Vol.9, No.1, pp. 77-84, doi:10.1177/1476127010395065, 2011.

[7] [7] A. Anderson, “Combating climate change through quality education,” Brookings Global Economy and Development, 2010.

[8] [8] B. Crona et al., “Perceptions of climate change: linking local and global perceptions through a cultural knowledge approach,” Climatic Change, Vol.119, No.2, pp. 519-531, doi:10.1007/s10584-013-0708-5, 2013.

Influence of Religion, Culture and Education on Perception of Climate Change, and its Implications

Mikiyasu Nakayama*1,†, Irene Taafaki*2, Takuia Uakeia*3, Jennifer Seru*4, Yolanda McKay*2, and Hermon Lajar*4

Mikiyasu Nakayama^1,†, Irene Taafaki^2, Takuia Uakeia^3, Jennifer Seru^4, Yolanda McKay^2, and Hermon Lajar^4