The Mediterranean region is recognised as a hotspot for the climate crisis. Natural hazards such as storms, droughts, fires, and heat waves, combined with an area's vulnerability, can cause severe impacts and damage to property, ecosystems, crops, and human life.

Understanding public perceptions of climate-related risks is critical, as they shape not only the individual and collective responses to climate challenges but also the effectiveness of adaptation strategies. Despite growing pressure, comprehensive nationwide research on public attitudes and adaptive capacity regarding climate change is lacking in Greece.

The present study builds on the previous work of Perdios et al. (2025) and extends their analysis using a published dataset with over 1,000 responses from the Greek population; see Serafeim et al. (2025). Specifically, the questionnaire aims to capture four key dimensions of adaptive capacity: (a) the magnitude of information and awareness about climate-related risk, (b) personal experiences with extreme weather events, (c) readiness to adopt more sustainable practices, and (d) perceptions of local interventions to address the climate crisis.

Key results highlight regional disparities in both awareness and preparedness, and socio-demographic variables such as education and income are important determinants. By identifying patterns of readiness and risk perception across populations, this work contributes to a more informed understanding of society and resilience to climate change in the Mediterranean region.

References

Perdios, A. et al. (2025). Adapting to the Escalating Climate Crisis in the Mediterranean Region: The case of Greece, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9003, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9003, 2025.

Serafeim, A. V. et al. (2025). National survey-based investigation of climate risk perceptions and adaptation readiness in Greece [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.t1g1jwtg1