Learning about climate politics during COP 21: Explaining a diminishing knowledge gap

Area of Science:

• Political Science
• Communication Studies
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Understanding climate politics is crucial for citizens to evaluate government policies.
• Media consumption is theorized to facilitate learning but may also widen knowledge disparities.
• The 2015 Paris climate conference presented an opportunity to study media effects on public knowledge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the emergence and evolution of a knowledge gap regarding climate politics during intense media coverage.
• To identify factors influencing public learning about climate change and policy.

Main Methods:

• A 3-month panel survey of 1121 participants in Germany was conducted.
• Hierarchical regression analyses were employed to explain knowledge acquisition.
• Data collection coincided with the 2015 Paris climate conference.

Main Results:

• A diminishing knowledge gap was observed, with less informed individuals catching up.
• Overall public knowledge on climate politics remained limited, indicating a potential ceiling effect.
• Media use was a less significant predictor of knowledge than education, personal concern, and gender.

Conclusions:

• While knowledge gaps narrowed, the overall low level of public understanding suggests media or educational content may not sufficiently inform the well-informed.
• The German media system, featuring public television and regional newspapers, may contribute to closing knowledge gaps by reaching diverse audiences.
• Education, concern, and demographic factors like being male were stronger predictors of climate political knowledge than media consumption.