Assessment of knowledge - attitude - behavior of Can Tho University students about climate change

Abstract

The study was conducted from July to December 2019 at Can Tho University to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of Can Tho University students about climate change and propose solutions to raise students' awareness. The study interviewed 120 students from 4 faculties including College of Environment & Natural Resources, College of Agriculture, College of Education and College of Economics. The findings showed that all students participating in the survey have a high awareness of climate change and its impacts on their daily life. Students of pedagogical faculty participating in the interviews had the lowest awareness of climate change compared to other faculties. The majority of students from Environment & Natural Resources College only cared about climate change issues while the remaining students of the other faculties showed their very strong interest about climate change issues. Regarding to the behavioral impacts on climate change (habits of energy use, clean water, papers and plastics, management and treatment of wastes, communication on climate change), most of the respondents expressed their special attitudes towards the given practices. Especially, most of students from the Faculty of Economics selected the response "special desire for practices on climate change to be conducted". The findings of this study showed that students from the 04 studied colleges in Can Tho University would play important roles in the mitigation and adaptation of climate change in future.