South Africa talks climate

Abstract

Between August and October 2009, the BBC World Service Trust’s Research and Learning Group, funded by the British Council, conducted research in South Africa to gauge public understanding of climate change. The research consisted of 16 focus group discussions with South African citizens, and 18 in-depth interviews with opinion leaders from government, religious institutions, the private sector, the media, and civil society. The overall objective was to find out what people think about climate change and to determine how to tailor communication and media strategies to support South Africa’s response to climate change. Key findings and recommendations are presented in this report. Most South Africans are aware of the phenomenon of global climate change, but their understanding of the science is patchy