As part of our Green rights project, we have designed an approach that includes at first gathering information on the level of knowledge, awareness and perceptions on climate challenges among EU citizens, with a focus on the citizens residing in Romania, Italy and Hungary, the countries part of the consortium implementing the project.
Designing one survey on climate change
One survey was designed by the consortium (lead by Amapola and University of Turin) with six sections with a total number of 31 questions, both open and closed ends, and with single or multiple answers. The survey was aimed to provide common stress points across the group, which may be relevant for a larger number of audiences and stakeholders, both private and public that exceed our limited sample of respondents.
The survey was tested during 7 pilot events, held in Romania, Italy and Finland, over a four-month period, from November 2022 to February 2023. A high number of smaller events was organized in order to benefit from the participation of a very mix number of people as climate change impacts and is perceived differently across social-economic backgrounds, age groups, residency, etc. The participants in our pilot events were youths, students, retired persons, members of the civil society, academia, business representatives, etc.
Description of the pilot events
All pilot tests followed a common pattern: a brief presentation of the project and survey objectives by the facilitator (part of the project team), a Q&A session with the participants and, in the end, the participants were given 1h to test and provide feedback on the survey. Most comments included: (a) clarifying questions that were perceived too general, (b) providing more in-depth questions on specific climate challenge areas, (c) providing more support in understanding the questions, (d) improving readability and, if possible, shorten the survey, (e) clarifying some of the more technical questions.
- Pilot 0 took place during the kick off meeting in Bucharest, on October 20, 2022, and included 9 participants. Unito presented the content of the survey and the draft version was tested. This version was designed to be tested during Pilots 1-7.
- Pilot 1 took place in Turin on November 17, 2022, and involved university students, in total seven people.
- Pilot 2 took place in Turin on November 18, 2022, and involved university students, in total five people.
- Pilot 3 took place in Turin on November 25, 2022, and involved university students with different socio-economic backgrounds, in total 45 people.
- Pilot 4 took place in Turin on January 10, 2023, and involved a mixed groups of adult workers and retired persons, eight people.
- Pilot 5 took place in Helsinki on February 6, 2023, and involved a mixed groups of workers, with different socio-economic backgrounds, in total 19 people.
- Pilot 6 took place in Turin on February 7, 2023, and involved three adult workers.
- Pilot 7 took place in Amalfi on February 10, 2023, and involved a mixed groups of adult workers, with various social-economic backgrounds, in total five people.
Results of the pilot events
In general, the survey was considered moderate as level of difficulty and with a potential completion time between 10 to 15 minutes. Based on the feedback following each pilot event, the survey was adjusted by the coordinator, with additional feedback from project partners. Efforts were made to balance all these requirements from the participants.
The pilot events conducted to a final form of the transnational survey available in English language. The coordinator and consortium partners proceeded to translate the survey in Romanian, Italian and Hungarian languages. The survey is available on the official pages of the consortium partners and was filled in by 568 participants until June, 30. The initial participants for testing the survey were not counted.
Climate change survey
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
