Climate change sceptics claim that anomalies to the climate are still within the range of natural variability. Young people are critically exposed to urban climate change risks. It is essential to build an appropriate level of climate awareness and crisis preparedness within these groups. While children and adolescents are highly vulnerable to the risks of climate change, they will be the ones playing a critical role in driving and taking part in adaptation themselves. It is essential therefore to understand clearly what their perception of climate change is and in what form can awareness raised and possible future actions prompted. This research compares ESS findings on Budapest, Hungary young people with findings of an identical research in Hanoi, Vietnam.

2. Climate change and urban
youth crisis alertness
A comparative study of Budapest and
Hanoi youth
Gábor Sarlós, RMIT Vietnam
@GaborSarlos
Zoltán Ferencz, Hungarian Academy of
Sciences
Climate change and urban youth’ – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

3. Summary
• Urban young people do not consider themselves
to be highly exposed to climate change
• In spite of having access to a wide range of
information, their general level of awareness is
limited
• Lack of information, interest and engagement
might lead to significant crisis issues
• Public relations can have a critical role in
preempting crises
Climate change and urban youth’ – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

4. Facts
‘Ninety-seven percent of
climate scientists agree that
climate-warming trends over
the past century are very
likely due to human activities’
Source: NASA, climate.nasa.gov
Climate change and urban youth’ – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

5. Facts
‘Scientific evidence for
warming of the climate
system is unequivocal’
Source: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Climate change and urban youth’ – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

6. Facts
Climate change is not the
issue, it is here whether we
admit or not.
But how we tackle it, is the
real issue.
Climate change and urban youth’ – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

7. Methodology – stage 1
Budapest
Filtering ESS data on
climate change
Sample: 100
age 18-39
representative on
age and gender
Hanoi
Online survey
among Hanoi (+
agglomeration)
youth
Sample: 360
age 18-39
representative on
age and gender
Climate change and urban youth’ – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

8. Methodology – stage 2
Budapest
Extension with
agglomeration data
(sample: 50)
Focus on critical
issues: energy
usage
Hanoi
Extension with
agglomeration data
(sample: 113)
Qualitative interviews
Focus on critical issues:
WIT (waste ,
information, transport)
Climate change and urban youth’ – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

9. Key findings – 1-4
Budapest Hanoi
Is climate changing? Probably yes Definitely yes
How much have you
though about climate
change?
Not very much Somewhat
How concerned are you
about climate change?
Less than average Very much + not at all
Is it caused by natural
process or human activity?
Rather natural Rather human
Climate change and urban youth’ – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

10. Key findings – 5-8
Budapest Hanoi
Personal responsibility? Below average Above average
Would many people save
on energy?
Below average Above average
Will governments take
action?
Not very likely Quite likely
Ready to limit your own
use of energy?
Below average Above average
Climate change and urban youth’ – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

11. Further findings - 1
Above average level of awareness and interest:
• University students (Budapest)
• 31 - 39 year olds (Bp, Hanoi)
• Women (Bp)
• Employees (Hanoi)
Climate change and urban youth’ – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

12. Further findings - 2
Above average sense of personal responsibility:
• Women (Bp)
• Employees (Hanoi)
• 26-30 (Bp)
Climate change and urban youth’ – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

13. What the respondents say (Hanoi)
About climate change in the city
“I’m not worried, maybe because I’m in a city I
don’t feel the changes, but in the long-term, if
there will be hazardous weather, I would be
worried. ”
#MentalClimateChange – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

14. What the respondents say (Hanoi)
About the weather patterns
“It is super hot in the summer and freezing in the
winter. The seasons and weather change
drastically from hot to cold and vice versa”
“Some years we don’t even have winter, and
summers nowadays last far too long.”
#MentalClimateChange – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

15. What the respondents say (Hanoi)
About health hazards
“The number of children coming to health facilities has been
rising significantly. Along with the hot and humid conditions,
the environmental issues in Hanoi are facilitating the
development of insects, bacteria and several diseases like
mosquitoes, rats and flies.”
“Cities have expanded into marshes, wetlands and flood-prone
areas as populations have grown and people have moved from
rural to urban areas in search of work. The result has been that
the scale, intensity and duration of floods has increased.”
#MentalClimateChange – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

16. What the respondents say (Hanoi)
Who should be doing something about it?
“In my opinion, big corporations and businesses
have a big responsibility to play. Most of rubbishes
come from fast food restaurants, shops, companies
or big supermarkets. You could be easily criticized
when disposing of food, drinks or wrappers but
maybe large businesses could be not”
#MentalClimateChange – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

17. What the respondents say (Hanoi)
What can one do about it?
““I won’t care if they’re just going to tell me to
‘save the environment!’. If they show me practical,
daily things that I can do, I’ll do it.”
#MentalClimateChange – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

18. Communication issues
Use of
language
is critical
‘Climate
change’ vs.
‘global
warming’
‘Science-
talk’ /
common
language
Climate change and urban youth’ – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

19. Communication issues
Obscurity
of
concepts
Environment /
waste / air
pollution /
global warming
Complexity
of issues
Climate change and urban youth’ – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

20. Communication issues
Linking own
experience
with climate
change
Make people
realize they
are all part of
the problem
They need
to be part
of the
solution
Climate change and urban youth’ – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

21. Conclusions
Budapest Hanoi
Characteristics Skepticism, lack of
interest
Recognition of the
issue
Role of Public
Relations
- raising awareness
- bringing everyday
examples of
negative effects
- break through the
wall of apathy
- garnering support
to points of action
- leading by
example
- build on sources
people trust and
follow
Climate change and urban youth’ – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

22. ConclusionsBudapest Hanoi
IN CONCLUSION - BUILD ON AND ENCOURAGE GLOCAL
INITIATIVES
- LAUNCH A WIDE SPECTRUM OF THE
PUBLIC RELATIONS TOOLKIT
- BEAR IN MIND THE CHALLENGES AND
OPPORTUNITIES OF MATCHING A 21ST
CENTURY PROBLEM WITH THE YOUTH
OF THE 21ST CENTURY
- BUILD AN ALLIANCE OF ALL
STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED:
GOVERNMENTS, BUSINESS, SOCIETY
AND INDIVIDUALS
Climate change and urban youth’ – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

23. Conclusion for Public Relations
The climate change
challenge is a unique
opportunity for PR to take a
lead role in pre-empting
this crisis.
Climate change and urban youth’ – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz

24. Conclusion for Public Relations
To this end we need to be
the champions of
Mental Climate Change
#MentalClimateChange
#MentalClimateChange – Gábor Sarlós, Zoltán Ferencz