Experience exceeds awareness of anthropogenic climate change in Greenland

This study investigates the climate change perceptions of Greenland's predominantly Indigenous population. Two nationally representative surveys reveal that Greenlanders are more likely to perceive climate change and have personally experienced its effects compared to residents of top oil-producing Arctic countries. However, half are unaware that climate change is human-caused, and those most affected appear least aware. Personal experience and awareness of human-induced climate change diverge along an Inuit cultural dimension. Indigenous identity positively predicts climate change experience, while subsistence occupation and lack of post-primary education negatively predict attribution beliefs. The study highlights a gap between scientific consensus and Kalaallit views, particularly among youth, with implications for climate adaptation, science communication, and knowledge exchange.

Kelton Minor, Manumina Lund Jensen, Lawrence Hamilton, Mette Bendixen, David Dreyer Lassen, Minik T. Rosing