Climate Change Perception and Behavioral Adaptation in Punjab: The Mediating Role of Environmental Sensitivity

Abstract

This paper discussed the mediating factor on the perception-adaptation relationship of climate change is the environmental sensitivity, which is the cognitive awareness, concern, and emotional responsiveness of the environmental change amongst individuals. The quantitative cross-sectional design was used to gather data and the sample size consisted of 250 adult residents living in Sargodha, Pakistan. The measurement of climate change perception, environmental sensitivity, behavioral adaptation and pro-environmental behavior was done using standardized survey instruments. The SPSS was used to perform correlation, regression, and mediation analysis. The findings demonstrate that all the important variables have strong positive associations. The perception of climate change proved to be a great predictor of behavioral adaptation and pro-environmental behavior. The results highlight the significance of incorporating the emotional and perceptual aspects in climate communication and policy interventions. By identifying environmental sensitivity as one of the major psychological processes, the current study adds to the environmental and sustainable behaviors within the climate-vulnerable communities.