Research shows UAE residents need to be more aware of climate change

The study found out that 49 per cent of participants were unaware of the impacts of climate change, with women being less aware than men.

Dubai - The two UAEU experts distributed 4,000 questionnaires across all the seven emirates, asking people whether they were aware of climate change and global warming (CCGW), and the "anthropogenic" (human-caused) factors behind it.

Public awareness of climate change is 'seriously lacking' in the UAE, with four-out-of 10 residents not conscious of climate change and how unrestrained human activities contribute to global warming, a study by the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) has revealed. 
Dr Abdelgadir Abuelgasim and Dr Salma Daiban of UAEU's College of Humanities and Social Sciences said "more than 40 per cent of the UAE's population lack knowledge about climate change, global warming, and how human behaviour contributes to environmental harm".
The two UAEU experts distributed 4,000 questionnaires across all the seven emirates, asking people whether they were aware of climate change and global warming (CCGW), and the "anthropogenic" (human-caused) factors behind it. 
The results were analysed by gender, age group and location, as well as by academic level - with high school, undergraduate and postgraduate students responding to the survey alongside those with no formal education.
The study found out that 49 per cent of participants were unaware of the impacts of climate change, with women being less aware than men. 
Environmental awareness was highest among residents in Umm Al Quwain and lowest in Ajman, but in all the emirates, nearly half of those surveyed were unaware of CCGW.
The research also showed that climate change awareness levels differed by only five per cent across four different age groups.
High school students were more aware of CCGW than undergraduate and postgraduate students, who had "surprisingly low awareness levels."
More worrying is that 40 per cent of respondents said they disagreed that global warming is caused by human behaviour. Environmental awareness is also low among older residents. 
"The study has demonstrated that public awareness about climate change in the UAE is seriously lacking and there is a large room for improvement," both Dr Abuelgasim and Dr Daiban highlighted in their research paper.

Need for more education