Effect of “finite pool of worry” and COVID-19 on UK climate change perceptions

Darrick Evensen; Lorraine Whitmarsh; Phil Bartie; Patrick Devine-Wright; Jennifer Dickie; Adam Varley; Stacia Ryder; Adam Mayer

doi:10.1073/pnas.2018936118

Effect of “finite pool of worry” and COVID-19 on UK climate change perceptions

Darrick Evensen, Lorraine Whitmarsh, Phil Bartie, Patrick Devine-Wright, Jennifer Dickie, Adam Varley, Stacia Ryder, Adam Mayer

Department of Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

50 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Research reveals that a “finite pool of worry” constrains concern about and action on climate change. Nevertheless, a longitudinal panel survey of 1,858 UK residents, surveyed in April 2019 and June 2020, reveals little evidence for diminishing climate change concern during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, the sample identifies climate change as a bigger threat than COVID-19. The findings suggest climate change has become an intransigent concern within UK public consciousness.

Original language	English
Article number	e2018936
Journal	Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume	118
Issue number	3
Early online date	4 Jan 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2018936118
Publication status	Published - 19 Jan 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. This work was supported by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded Unconventional Hydrocarbons in the UK Energy System Programme (Grant No. 209259, to D.E., L.W., P.B., P.D.-W., J.D., A.V., and S.R.).

Data Availability
Some study data are available.

Keywords

Climate change
COVID-19
Finite pool of worry
Longitudinal
United Kingdom

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1073/pnas.2018936118Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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Effect of “finite pool of worry” and COVID-19 on UK climate change perceptions

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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