Using Public Deliberation and Environmental Issues Forums …
523
emissions by 100% by 2050. She is currently working to reduce her carbon footprint
in the home and at a personal level. Overall she is hopeful regarding climate change.
Due to recent events and phenomena such as hurricanes put climate change in the
media, which is helpful to the cause. She is hopeful that there will be change.
4.8 Adult and Youth Comparison on Climate Policy
Adult and youth participants hold very similar viewpoints regarding how they view
the proposed climate change policy and action items (Tables 3 and 4). Both adult
and youth strongly agreed that we should give companies incentives to develop
technologies that reduce CO 2 emissions even if that means government interfering
in the private sector. Both groups somewhat agreed that we should require states to
lower their carbon emissions to meet federal standards, even if this eliminates some
jobs and harms communities that rely on fossil fuel industries. Both groups less favor
use zoning, building codes, forced relocation, and insurance rules to keep people from
living and building in vulnerable areas like waterfronts, even if this would restrict
what people can do with their land. However, youth and adult did not agree with
each other on building levees, rebuild water systems, roads and transit to protect
against flooding, even if these changes mar the landscape, and provide only limited
protection (t =−0.277, df = 23, p < 0.05). Youth preferred more mitigation policy
while adult preferred more adaptation strategies. Youth strongly agree that schools
should teach children about the causes, consequences, and potential solutions to
climate change and government should establish programs to teach Americans about
climate change (mean = 4.82, SD = 0.60). Both groups strongly agreed that since
the US is one of the world’s largest greenhouse gas producers, it should take the
lead in reducing emissions of CO 2. They somewhat agree that climate change will
cause damaging changes for “my community and me in my lifetime.” The majority
somewhat agree the statement: “It’s not possible to curb CO 2 emissions without much
stronger governmental regulation and enforcement.” They somewhat disagreed that
taxpayers should not have to bail out people who choose to live in areas likely to be
affected by sea level rise, wildfires, flooding and other problems caused by climate
change. They both somewhat disagree with we should rely innovation and adaption—
not regulation to address climate change. They both somewhat disagree that taking
action to deal with climate change will seriously harm the US economy.
5 Discussion
From the six forums from three different sites, participants had considered EIF as
an informative model and they appreciate the opportunity to talk aloud the issue in a
safe space. The opinion leader from the local church played in an instrumental role
in helping researchers recruitment participants.
523
emissions by 100% by 2050. She is currently working to reduce her carbon footprint
in the home and at a personal level. Overall she is hopeful regarding climate change.
Due to recent events and phenomena such as hurricanes put climate change in the
media, which is helpful to the cause. She is hopeful that there will be change.
4.8 Adult and Youth Comparison on Climate Policy
Adult and youth participants hold very similar viewpoints regarding how they view
the proposed climate change policy and action items (Tables 3 and 4). Both adult
and youth strongly agreed that we should give companies incentives to develop
technologies that reduce CO 2 emissions even if that means government interfering
in the private sector. Both groups somewhat agreed that we should require states to
lower their carbon emissions to meet federal standards, even if this eliminates some
jobs and harms communities that rely on fossil fuel industries. Both groups less favor
use zoning, building codes, forced relocation, and insurance rules to keep people from
living and building in vulnerable areas like waterfronts, even if this would restrict
what people can do with their land. However, youth and adult did not agree with
each other on building levees, rebuild water systems, roads and transit to protect
against flooding, even if these changes mar the landscape, and provide only limited
protection (t =−0.277, df = 23, p < 0.05). Youth preferred more mitigation policy
while adult preferred more adaptation strategies. Youth strongly agree that schools
should teach children about the causes, consequences, and potential solutions to
climate change and government should establish programs to teach Americans about
climate change (mean = 4.82, SD = 0.60). Both groups strongly agreed that since
the US is one of the world’s largest greenhouse gas producers, it should take the
lead in reducing emissions of CO 2. They somewhat agree that climate change will
cause damaging changes for “my community and me in my lifetime.” The majority
somewhat agree the statement: “It’s not possible to curb CO 2 emissions without much
stronger governmental regulation and enforcement.” They somewhat disagreed that
taxpayers should not have to bail out people who choose to live in areas likely to be
affected by sea level rise, wildfires, flooding and other problems caused by climate
change. They both somewhat disagree with we should rely innovation and adaption—
not regulation to address climate change. They both somewhat disagree that taking
action to deal with climate change will seriously harm the US economy.
5 Discussion
From the six forums from three different sites, participants had considered EIF as
an informative model and they appreciate the opportunity to talk aloud the issue in a
safe space. The opinion leader from the local church played in an instrumental role
in helping researchers recruitment participants.