News Media Trust and Support for Climate Change Mitigation

Abstract

This study sought to investigate the influence of news media trust on climate change mitigation support among students. Of the 688 participants surveyed, the findings reveal that students generally trust both local and international news sources for climate change information, with international outlets like CNN and BBC being the most trusted. The study also identifies strong support for specific climate change mitigation actions, such as planting more trees and stopping the use of fossil fuels, while support for reducing meat consumption is relatively lower. Gender differences in climate change attitudes are observed, with male students demonstrating higher support for certain mitigation actions compared to their female counterparts. Furthermore, the study reveals a positive relationship between news media trust and climate change mitigation support, highlighting the influential role of the media in shaping public attitudes and behaviors towards climate change.