Climate pessimists, adaptation optimists: Evidence on climate beliefs from a representative sample of Bangladeshis
This policy brief presents findings from a survey of 5,814 rural Bangladeshis on beliefs about the effects of climate change by 2050 and compares them to the best estimates from climate and economic modelling.
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Bryan and Burgess Policy Brief September 2024.pdf
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- A representative sample of 5,814 rural Bangladeshis expect the effects of climate change to be more severe than the best estimates from climate and economic modelling.
- Respondents predict larger increases in heat, lower crop yields, and higher mortality than warranted by our models.
- Respondents are optimistic about adaptation – they believe that there are costly adaptation measures that they can take in situ, which will allow earnings to grow by 2050.
- Providing respondents with information about the best estimates from climate and economic modelling decreases their expectations about crop yields but does not change their beliefs about other climate outcomes.