Research shows UAE residents need to be more aware of climate change
dubai — 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
Introducing sustainability in students’ daily practices will be effective and important.” Dr Abdelgadir Abuelgasim, researcher
room for improvement,” both Dr Abuelgasim and Dr Daiban highlighted in their research paper.
Need for more education
“Overall awareness index averages to about 57 per cent, suggesting that more than 40 per cent of the population lacks knowledge about climate change, global warming, and their anthropogenic nature,” the two experts noted.
The duo underlined that “climate change policy actions in the UAE, and other countries, will benefit significantly from maintaining and gaining public support as well as public involvement”.
They said that an interdisciplinary and practical approach through STEM-focused (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education programme is crucial to develop environmental awareness and encourage critical thinking.
Teachers need to be provided with the necessary tools for schools and universities to be environmentfriendly,” they added.
“Introducing sustainability in the students’ daily practices will prove to be effective and important. It helps the students to apply and translate their CCGW knowledge into their daily behaviour, lifestyle, and daily practice,” they said.
Dr Abuelgasim and Dr Daiban underlined that universities and other education institutions in the UAE can play a vital role in reducing the effects of CCGW through their research and projects. “Having such a programme in the UAE will significantly change the students’ attitudes and behaviour about climate change and will inspire them to think of solutions and ways to overcome its effects,” they noted.
“And this educational approach should extend beyond schools and universities into the general community, with awareness activities being spearheaded by government entities. These bodies can motivate the UAE population to adopt renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency measures, enhancing a green, low-carbon, and sustainable future,” they concluded.
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