Avrupa Bilim ve Teknoloji Dergisi European Journal of Science and Technology Sayı 25, S. 457-462, Ağustos 2021 No. 25, pp. 457-462, August 2021 © Telif hakkı EJOSAT’a aittir Copyright © 2021 EJOSAT Araştırma Makalesi www.ejosat.com ISSN:2148-2683 Research Article The Analysis of Climate Change Awareness at Local Level Burçin Atılgan Türkmen1* 1* Bilecik Seyh Edebali University, Faculty of Engineering, Departmant of Chemical Engineering, Bilecik, Turkey, (ORCID: 0000-0003-3220-3817), [email protected] (First received 4 March 2021 and in final form 26 June 2021) (DOI: 10.31590/ejosat.890865) ATIF/REFERENCE: Atilgan Turkmen, B., (2021). The Analysis of Climate Change Awareness at Local Level. European Journal of Science and Technology, (25), 457-462. Abstract Climate change is one of the biggest problems facing the world today due to its negative effects on human health and ecosystems. It is important to evaluate society's awareness of climate change to avoid this problem. Understanding the drivers of climate change attitudes is critical, as an action to address climate change is dependent on public awareness. Therefore, this research was carried out to identify the level of awareness and knowledge of climate change of residents in the province of Bilecik. In order to collect data, a questionnaire consisting of 11 questions was applied to randomly selected 508 people. Statistical approaches have been used to test the data collected from questionnaires. According to the results of the research, of the respondents 96% stated that they believe that climate change is occurring, 89% stated that climate change is occurring in Bilecik, of the respondents 87% believe that climate change is threatening. The majority of respondents (83%) believe that increasing the number of vehicles is the primary cause of climate change, while changes in climate types (89%) are the most visible effect of climate change. The results revealed that the issue of climate change was acknowledged at the local level, that there would be a tendency to change the lifestyle of the situation, and that they wanted to get more education on the subject. Keywords: Awareness, Climate change, Bilecik, Public perception, Adaptation. İklim Değişikliği Bilincinin Yerel Düzeyde Analizi Öz İklim değişikliği, insan sağlığı ve ekosistemler üzerindeki olumsuz etkileri nedeniyle bugün dünyanın karşılaştığı en büyük sorunlardan biridir. Bu sorunu önlemek için toplumun iklim değişikliği konusundaki farkındalığını değerlendirmek önemlidir. İklim değişikliği eylemi halkın bilincine bağlı olduğundan, iklim değişikliğinin itici güçlerini anlamak çok önemlidir. Bu nedenle, bu araştırma Bilecik ilinde ikamet edenlerin iklim değişikliği konusundaki farkındalık ve bilgi düzeylerini belirlemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Veri toplamak için rastgele seçilen 508 kişiye 11 sorudan oluşan bir anket uygulanmıştır. Anketlerden toplanan verileri test etmek için istatistiksel yaklaşımlar kullanılmıştır. Elde edilen sonuçlar, ankete katılanların %96'sı iklim değişikliğinin meydana geldiğine, %89'u Bilecik'te iklim değişikliğinin meydana geldiğine, %87'si iklim değişikliğinin tehdit edici olduğuna inandığını belirtmiştir. Ankete katılanların çoğunluğu (%83) araç sayısındaki artışın iklim değişikliğinin temel nedeni olduğunu, iklim tiplerindeki değişikliklerin (%89) iklim değişikliğinin en belirgin etkisi olduğu sonucu elde edilmiştir. Sonuçlar, iklim değişikliği konusunun yerel düzeyde kabul edildiğini, ankete katılanların yaşam tarzını değiştirme eğiliminde olduğunu ve konuyla ilgili daha fazla eğitim almak istediklerini ortaya koymuştur. Anahtar Kelimeler: Bilinç, İklim değişikliği, Bilecik, Kamuoyu algısı, Uyum. * Corresponding Author: [email protected] http://dergipark.gov.tr/ejosat 457 Avrupa Bilim ve Teknoloji Dergisi Change National Strategy Document includes measures to 1. Introduction coordinate institutional capacity building and awareness-raising programs to combat and adapt (MoEU, 2018). Science and policy Climate change is one of the 21st century's greatest debates on climate change should be rooted in an increased challenges. It is defined by United Nations Framework understanding of public awareness (Dal et al., 2015). A basic Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as describes a change understanding of public knowledge of climate change will in climate that is due directly or indirectly to human activity that provide strategic guidance for government policy, adaptation and alters the composition of the global atmosphere, in addition to mitigation plans, and community-based guidance (Kabir et al., normal climate variations observed over comparable periods 2016). (UNFCCC, 1992). This study aims to determine the perception and awareness The climate of the earth has been continuously changing over level of residents’ understanding, knowledge, and concern of time, with wide differences in global average temperatures. climate change. Bilecik province in Turkey was chosen as the However, this current warming period is happening more study area. Appropriate statistical techniques have been used to dramatically than any previous event (Allen, 2018). UNFCCC gather and analyze relevant information using the questionnaire reveals that the observed increases in greenhouse gas emissions approach. because of human activities are the major cause of global climate change. After the industrial revolution, humans have released 2. Material and Method greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, altering the atmospheric balance of the earth. These gasses continue to accumulate in the 2.1. Study Area atmosphere and the ocean today. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an increase Climate change, both nationally and globally, has been one of of 1.5°C in global average temperature is a limit beyond which the most debated environmental issues. This paper was therefore climate change will have devastating consequences (UN, 2020). conducted to identify the current level of awareness and knowledge of climate change of residents in the province of Climate change is a global problem that in various ways Bilecik. impacts countries. In several countries, the impacts of climate change have already reached many of the major sectors of Bilecik is positioned in four regions – Marmara, Black Sea, production and development (Glasgow et al., 2018). The Aegean, and Central Anatolian regions. It has an area of 4,307 2 Mediterranean Basin, including Turkey, is one of the most km , and a population of 219,427 people as of 2019 (TURKSTAT, sensitive regions of the earth to global climate change. The effects 2020). The province is located between 39°39' and 40°31' of the 2°C increase in temperature, unexpected weather events, latitudes to the north and 29°43' and 30°40' longitudes to the east. heat waves, increase in the number and impact of forest fires, Bilecik is an alternate city at the point where the Marmara area is drought and, consequently, loss of biodiversity, decrease in linked to Anatolia. As presented in Figure 1, it is bordered by the tourism revenues, loss of agricultural yield, and, most provinces of Eskisehir and Bolu to the east, Kütahya to the south, importantly, drought will be felt (Cramer W, 2018). Bursa to the west, and Sakarya to the north. Agriculture and animal husbandry, mining, forestry, marble, ceramics, and board Climate change is one of humanity's most important processing have a significant part of the province's economy. The challenges which seriously threatens our future unless action is rich marble quarries in Bilecik have made a significant taken today. For this reason, immediate global, regional and local contribution to the economy of the city (BEBKA, 2018). action needs to be taken and collaboration should be improved in the fight against climate change (MoEU, 2018). In order to reduce greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere, both individuals and countries have important responsibilities. The levels of climate change understanding, awareness, perceived risk, and support for mitigation or adaptation differ widely around the world (Lee et al., 2015). The key measure to be taken is to change the lifestyles and consumption patterns of societies. For individual habits to change, this issue needs to be more sensitive and more conscious. Awareness of climate change can be described as potential concerns about threats from climate change to human society and the natural environment. Knowledge of climate change is essential for implementing successful initiatives to mitigate the risks of climate change (Kim & Hall, 2019; Marshall et al., 2013). The objective of Turkey is to reduce the impact of climate change and to respond to global warming. The level of public awareness and institutional capacity must be considered when adapting to climate change in the country. Education, public awareness-raising studies, and international cooperation on climate change began when Turkey became a party UNFCCC in Figure 1: Location of the study area (BEBKA, 2018) 2004 and accelerated following the publication of the country’s First National Communication on Climate Change in 2007 (MoEU, 2012). Climate Change National Action Plan (2011- Bilecik is expected to grow in the future and the surrounding 2023) released in July 2011 on the implementation of the Climate forest and agricultural land are expected to decrease due to e-ISSN: 2148-2683 458 European Journal of Science and Technology transport and industrial investment. In this process, in addition