Exploring Climate Change Perspectives. An Analysis of Undergraduate Students' Place-Based Attachment in Appalachia, USA

Despite global scientific consensus, climate change is a highly controversial and politicized issue in the United States. Grounded in two quantitative survey iterations with approximately 446 responses, 28 semi-structured interviews, and 4 focus groups with 60 undergraduate students from six state universities in the Appalachian region, this five-year study explores the role of place-based attachment and emotions in framing undergraduate students' climate change perspectives. Results show that the rural, socioeconomic status of Appalachia affects students' perspectives toward climate change and the barrage of information they are exposed to—whether scientific or media or from family—triggers uncertainty and inaction in them. They, in fact, think that climate change is happening elsewhere and will not necessarily affect them. We consider the importance, particularly in natural resource, extraction-dependent areas of the US, to better understand students' perspectives of climate change, given their role as current and future voters and policymakers. We argue that an emotional and place-based analysis of students' identities helps to frame climate change as an issue impacting themselves and their communities, prompting students to better articulate their perspectives on climate change.