Global Warming Perception and Willingness to pay for Environment in High Carbon Emitting Nations

Public perception to global warming is considered an important factor that influences environmental legislation as well as policies in different countries and regions. This study attempts to analyze the understanding of this issue among citizens in high CO₂ emitting nations in light of the perception of the seriousness of the problem. Individual level survey data for each country of study was analyzed as to how explanatory variables like social, demographic, and macro-economic explain the differences in the response variable for each country of study, using a contingent ranking and ordered-probit regression approach. The results of the study indicated that all macro variables showed a significant impact on the perception of citizens regarding the concern for global warming, while significant differences existed among the countries of study for the impact of demographic, social, political, and religious variables on the perception of seriousness of global warming as an environmental concern.