Perceptions of Climate Change in China: Evidence From Surveys of Residents in Six Cities

China has pledged to cap its carbon emission by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, making knowledge about how the Chinese general public understands climate change crucial and timely. This article reports findings from surveys of climate change perceptions in six Chinese cities (∼40 million people). We identify 10 distinct mental images and 37 subcategories that represent a wide spectrum of perceptions of climate change among the Chinese public. The results reveal that people tend to conflate climate change with air pollution and seasonal weather changes. Although skepticism is not prominent, voices for action are also limited. Furthermore, climate change perceptions are heterogenous across regions and demographic groups. Respondents from developed cities are less likely to conflate climate change with local weather. People living in polluted regions tend to equate climate change with air pollution. Well‐educated, high‐income, and young residents are more aware of the scientific dimensions of climate change and its consequences. Females and the elderly think more about health implications and how to adapt. Compared to Western countries, opinions about climate change in China are less polarized and controversial, probably due to different political realities and media framings. This study provides an updated picture of climate change perceptions among the Chinese general public and recommends targeted and multi‐level communication strategies for policymakers.Plain Language SummaryUnderstanding how the general public understands climate change is crucial if China is going to achieve ambitious carbon reduction plans. Based on surveys in six cities, this study identifies 10 mental images and 37 subcategories that represent climate change perceptions among the Chinese public. Analyses of mental images reveals that Chinese citizens largely misunderstand climate change as a concept, associating it with changes in local weather patterns and air pollution. This misinterpretation is mainly due to inadequate attention to it and limited information exposure. Compared to Western countries, Chinese citizens are generally less skeptical about climate change, which might be explained by the different political realities and fewer conflicting media framings. Moreover, climate change as a concept has significant geographic and socio‐demographic heterogeneity, highlighting the necessity for targeted and regionally‐specific information strategies within China. The findings enrich our understanding of how the Chinese public perceives climate change and identifies communication challenges and strategies to increase understanding among the populance.Key PointsThis study delineates the ways in which the Chinese general public perceive climate changeThe study classifies perceptions of climate change into 10 distinct mental images and 37 subcategories based on surveys of residents in six Chinese citiesThe general public in China are less skeptical of climate change but tend to conflate it with air pollution and local changes in weatherPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/171155/1/eft2918_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/171155/2/eft2918.pd