Assessing climate change awareness among Mediterranean university students: a comparative study of French and Greek universities

Raising Climate Change (CC) awareness is crucial for mitigating the negative effects of this phenomenon, as well as for ensuring a sustainable future for upcoming generations. This study assesses and compares the climate change awareness level of Mediterranean university students in France and Greece. Emphasis was given to three research questions regarding knowledge, information sources, and awareness level. A questionnaire was used to determine the knowledge level and awareness of 641 university students in France and Greece. Principal Component Analysis was used to determine the main factors influencing the above-mentioned aspects, as was an independent sample t-test to compare the sample’s awareness level and socio-economic characteristics. Based on a modified climate change awareness index developed by the researchers, most students were found to have a low level of awareness of climate change. However, there is evidence that students are willing to undertake specific eco-friendly initiatives. Additionally, one of the study’s key findings is that students' knowledge and awareness of climate change varies according to socio-demographic characteristics such as gender, age, income level, and academic field. Nationality was proved to be a significant factor influencing belief in CC and willingness to take action. Incentives for both formal and informal information should be provided by policymakers to ensure theoretical background as well as climate change-related actions, in order to raise climate change awareness across younger generations.