Understanding Local Perceptions And Behavioral Intentions Around Climate Change Mitigation And Adaptation

Multiple impacts of climate change have been experienced by the world in the past decades,such impacts include soaring temperature,health problems,changing lifestyle,scarcity of resources,and erratic weather pattern.Sub-Saharan Africa(SSA)including Ghana is experiencing temperature surge,drought,and persistent flooding.As a result of the acceleration of the effects from the climate change impacts,an adaptation in individual behavior becomes extremely important.In order to address the menace of global climate change and to ensure sustainability,mitigation and adaptation strategies are needed to be implemented.Whilst most of the research studies on climate change in Ghana are related to gendered perceptions in urban slums,smallholder farmers in rural areas of Ghana,the effects and projections of climate change in the energy and health and agricultural sectors,no research work have been done on understanding the factors that influence local peoples' perceptions on behavioral intention towards climate change.Specifically,no study is known to have employed the lens of the Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior in the context of climate change from the perspective of local residents in Ghana.Meanwhile,such studies are essential to assess the determination of behavioral intention in response to climate change mitigation and adaptation.The study was conducted adopting both hard(offline)and soft(online)forms.Data was collected from farmers,students,teachers,office workers,and researchers,among others.In order to confirm content validities of the study,it adopted scales used in earlier studies.Using Structural Equation Modeling(SEM),the analysis finds that climate change knowledge has significant impact on attitudes towards climate change mitigation and adaptation,subjective norm,and perceived behavioral control.Perceived risk of climate change has statistically significant impact on attitudes,but did not have significant and positive impact on subjective norm,and perceived behavioral control.Subsequently,the study findings also show that attitudes,subjective norm,and perceived behavioral control have a statistically significant influence on behavioral intentions towards climate change.Moreover,the results illustrate that the strength of the significant association between perceived behavioral control and behavioral intentions is greater compared with the significant association between subjective norms,attitude and behavioral intentions.The study findings will support government in the formulation of climate change policies and programs,ultimately aiding sustainable development.Finally,the study,through its limitations,offers suggestions for future studies.