Missing the (tipping) point: the effect of information about climate tipping points on public risk perceptions in Norway

Abstract

Climate tipping points are a topic of growing interest in climate research and a frequent communication tool in the media to warn of dangerous climate change. Despite indications that several climate tipping points may already be triggered within 1.5 to 2 °C warming above pre-industrial levels, there is limited research about the public understanding of climate tipping points, the effects this knowledge (or lack thereof) may have on perceptions of risk related to climate change, and the corresponding effects on behaviour and public policy support. The emerging scholarship on learning, communication, and risk perceptions related to climate tipping points provides confounding evidence regarding the psychological and behavioural effects of information about climate tipping points. It remains unknown whether and under what conditions this knowledge increases concern, risk perceptions, and action intentions. In this study, we assess the current state of knowledge about climate tipping points among Norwegians using an online survey. We study the comparative effects of communicating about climate tipping points and climate change more generally on risk perceptions among participants with a survey-embedded experiment. Norway is an interesting case with its fossil-based economy and high level of education. We find that familiarity with climate tipping points is low among Norwegians: only 13 % have good knowledge in the sense that they know an example or characteristic of climate tipping points. Information about tipping points has somewhat stronger, yet overall very small, effects on participants' risk perceptions compared to general information about climate change, moderately increasing concern. We discuss our findings and their implications and suggest directions for further research.