Stakeholder perceptions of climate change and the need to adapt. FINADAPT Working Paper 14

This study solicited stakeholders' opinions on climate change adaptation and their needs for information on the issue through a questionnaire survey. Stakeholders were identified as: 1) those affected by climate change and 2) those positioned most effectively to advance adaptation. The questionnaire comprised 21 questions. They included questions on general perceptions about climate change, its potential impacts and their significance, current preparedness, coverage of climate change issues in current plans, the need to respond and the measures required. The questionnaire was Internet-based and anonymous, and was sent to 1133 persons working in 23 sectors. Respondents were asked to fill in the questionnaire from the point of view of their sector or work, and not as private citizens. Of the 532 persons who replied (47% response rate), natural resource and environmentally-related sectors each made up about a quarter, with 13 other sectors also represented. More than 90% of the respondents agreed with the statement that climate change is caused by human actions and 69% thought that the climate has already changed. A majority believed that most sectors in Finland are able to cope with climate variability and the impacts of climate change fairly or very well. Climate change issues have so far not been taken into account in just over half of the operational plans of organisations or sectors represented in the survey (52% of respondents). Nevertheless, 37% of the plans did cover climate change issues, and of these most dealt with both mitigation and adaptation (41%). A majority (53%) of the stakeholders considered that they had already received sufficient information on climate change issues to support their decision-making and planning at work. Of a given list of alternative information needs, the responses emphasize information on impacts on Finland (62%), on probabilities of occurrence of extreme events (57%), uncertainties of estimates (56%) and regional impacts (50%). Half of the respondents (50%) thought that measures taken so far in Finland to adapt to climate change have not been sufficient. The stakeholders suggested several types of measures that the authorities should take