Public Perception on Climate Change in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Abstract

Climate change, manifested by the increase in average temperature and the decrease in rainfall, has been strongly linked to human activities. It is one of the most worrying socio-environmental problems today because its impacts can be significant at local and regional scales. The analysis of the perception of this phenomenon provides essential information from local actors for their understanding and decision-making in the management of socio-ecosystems. Our objective was to document and analyze the knowledge of this phenomenon and the perception of the inhabitants of the Yucatán peninsula regarding its effects during the last 15 years. We designed a virtual survey and applied it to 1 248 residents of Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatán, Mexico. We used a chi-square test with cross-tabulation to determine the differences in the population’s perception. Most respondents recognize climate change and perceive it as an increase in temperature and a decrease in rainfall due to human activities and the combination of these with natural phenomena. Respondents consider that changes have occurred in the last five years.