Post on 17-Dec-2014
description
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Attitudes of Extension Educators Regarding Climate Change
Dr. Terrie A. Becerra Dr. Gerad Middendorf
Great Plains Grazing USDA-AFRI-CAP
Kansas State UniversityThe Noble Foundation
Oklahoma State UniversityUniversity of Oklahoma
Tarleton State UniversityThis project was supported by Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant no. 2012-02355 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Overview Rationale
Vulnerability and resiliency of beef cattle production systems in the Southern Great Plains
Social factors can be a source of vulnerability and resilience
Objectives To better understand the attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions
of Extension educators regarding climate change Identify gaps in information and/or materials
Method Results
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MethodOnline surveyStudy Population: Extension Educators in Kansas and Oklahoma Response n %
Surveys e-mailed KS: 228 (36%) OK: 410 (64%)
638
100%
Surveys opened –Successfully delivered
370
370/638
58%Adjusted Response: Surveys Completed of Surveys Opened
226
226/37061%
By State ResponseKS: 90/228 (40%) OK: 112/410 (27%)
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DemographicsGender (n=127) Respon
se%
Female 40 31%Male 82 65%No Response 5 4%
Length of Service (n=127)
Response
%
5 years or fewer
44 35%
6 to 10 years 12 9%11 to 20 years 31 24
%21 years or more
40 31%
Race (n=202) Response
%
American Indian or Alaska Native
14 7%
White 172 87%
No Response 16 8%
*Hispanic/Latino 1 4
What we askedWhat are Extension educators’ views on climate change?
Is it happening? Role of human activitiesOther ‘6 Americas’ questions
What are Extension educators’ interactions with constituents?
Frequency & level of expressed concernTopics of concernChallenges you face in engaging your constituents
What are Extension educators’ information needs?
Information and resource gapsCapacityInformation sourcesTopics in need of infoAdditional tools needed
Gaps, attitudes, beliefs, perceptions
Attitudes, Beliefs, Perceptions
Gaps, information or material
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Attitudes about Climate ChangeQuestion Yes & Sure Yes/No
& Unsure
No & Sure
Do you think the climate is changing? 67% 19% 15%
Agree Disagree
I could easily change my mind about global warming and climate change.
45% 55%
A lot
Some A little Not at all
How much had you thought about climate change before today?
19%
46% 32% 3%None to
Low capacity
Moderate
capacity
High to very high
capacity
What is your capacity to adequately answer your constituents' questions about climate change?
64% 30% 5%
Attitudes about Climate Change
Which is the closest to your view . . . %
Climate change is not happening. 4%
Humans cannot reduce climate change even if it is happening. 29%
Humans could reduce climate change, but people are not willing to change their behavior so we are not going to.
24%
Humans could reduce climate change, but it is unclear at this point whether we will do what's needed.
42%
Humans can reduce climate change, and we are going to do so successfully.
1%
Human
causes
Unsure
Natural
changes
Human & natural causes
None, it’s not
occurring
Climate change is mostly caused by . . . (n=208)
29% 1% 61% 4%4%
QuestionNot
important
Not too import
ant
Somewhat
important
Very Import
ant
Extremely
Important
How important is climate change to you personally?
8% 27% 43% 20% 2%
None A few Some Most All
How many of your colleagues share your views?
2% 25% 47% 27% 1%
Low Medium High Very High
Do you think climate change should be a low, medium, high, or very high priority for the President and Congress? For Extension?
37%32%
44%44%
16%20%
2%4%
Attitudes about Climate Change
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How would you rate the level of concern about climate change you hear from your constituents?
How frequently do your constituents express concerns to you about climate change?
None Low Medium High Very High
Never Rarely Very Somewhat Frequently Frequently Frequently 9
Other range or forage management
Grazing management29%57%
Other
Weather variability (drought,
heat, excess water)
82%
Weather forecast
information
29%
Soil loss 15%
Regulations
28%
37%
Agronomic decisions (e.g., crop type, seed variety, tillage, planting dates, etc.)68%
Alternative management practices
45%
Crop insurance
34%
Disease
30%
Marketing
22%
Nutrient loss
19%
6%
Pests
What are the topics of concern your constituents raise?
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What are the greatest challenges you face in engaging your constituents with climate change
information?
Production-orientedKnowledge/informationAdaptation/management Information distributionGovernment
Mistrust, regulations, taxes
Subjective, socio-culturalLack of interest, bias, culture of the areaRelevance—not personally affectedSkepticismTrust, sources, lack ofHelplessness/Powerlessness of both
educator & producer
Interactions with constituents
135 Responses, Some of the themes identified:
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Information Sources
None 36Agronomic/professional/trade Journals/professional associations 12Universities, researchers of environmental change, scientific sources 11Mesonet 10Knowledgeable/trusted people; professionals; Jim Cantore 8Media, News outlets, newspapers 8Weather persons; meteorologists, state/climatologists; KU weather data personnel 8Internet or websites 5National Weather Service; Norman, OK 5Extension (in-service trainings, experts) 5
List the top 3information sources you rely on regarding climate change (n=100)
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USDA; USDA-ARS; NIFAGov't/EPA websitesHistorical weather dataNASA global climate
changeNOAA - National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration publications
Animal Agriculture & Climate Change online course
BibleFamilyPersonal experienceThe Heritage
Foundation
Other information sources listed than 1 -3 times.
Information Sources
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Information Needs
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Topics requiring more information %Management practices for coping (with topics below) 75%Drought, uncharacteristic of historical norms 72%High temperatures (heat) uncharacteristic of historical norms 63%Unseasonable weather (for example: early warming in spring followed by hard freeze) 58%Extreme rainfall events 36%Other extreme weather events 34%
Additional Tools
Printed materials 64% Online resources including decision aids 61% Presentations at meeting and conferences 54% Webinars 50% On-farm demonstrations 45% Videos 34% Podcasts 17%
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Summary
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Views on climate change Majority feel sure the climate is changing and it is from natural
causes 94% do not believe they can adequately address the issue 65% rate importance to them personally as somewhat to extremely
important, and a moderate to high priority for Extension 27% believe their colleagues do not share their views
Constituent interactions 65% have heard no expressions of concern from constituents. Level
of concern when expressed is split--51% none to low; 49% medium to very high
Topics of concern are production oriented Challenges are both production-oriented and subjective, socio-
cultural Extension educators’ information needs?
Reliable sources to build a shared knowledge base for educators Resources to distribute information to clientele.