The climate is changing : are the Maltese aware and willing to change?

Abstract

Climate change requires a change in attitudes and behaviours. This has been known for two decades. Now that the first impacts of climate change are becoming reality, there is an even greater need for change. The level of awareness of this problem amongst the Maltese population is investigated together with their willingness to shift to a low carbon economy. More importantly, the underlying factors are sought. A multi modal approach is taken using three different methods to collect data from five different sources. The results are analysed both individually and collectively. The outcomes indicate that there is a considerable level of awareness on climate change that is not related to demographic variables. However, this level of awareness did not equally translate into a willingness to pay or act. The provision of information might significantly improve this.