Experience exceeds awareness of anthropogenic climate change in Greenland

Although Greenland is a hub for climate science, the climate perceptions of Greenland's predominantly Indigenous population have remained largely unstudied. Here we present two nationally representative surveys and show that Greenlanders are more likely than residents of top oil-producing Arctic countries to perceive that climate change is happening and about twice as likely to have personally experienced its effects. However, half are unaware that climate change is human-caused and those who are most affected appear to be least aware. Personal experience and awareness of human-induced climate change diverge along an Inuit cultural dimension. Indigenous identity positively predicts climate change experience, whereas subsistence occupation and no post-primary education negatively predict attribution beliefs. Despite Greenland's centrality to climate research, we uncover a gap between the scientific consensus and Kalaallit views of climate change, particularly among youth. This science-society gulf has implications for local climate adaptation, science communication and knowledge exchange between generations, institutions and communities. Greenland is at the heart of climate research, yet the related perceptions of Greenland's Indigenous population have long been overlooked. Findings based on two nationally representative surveys reveal a large gap between the scientific consensus and Kalaallit views.

Automated summary

While Greenland is a hub for climate science, the climate perceptions of its Indigenous population have been largely unexplored. Two nationally representative surveys reveal that Greenlanders are more likely to believe in and have experienced climate change compared to residents of other Arctic countries. However, many are unaware that climate change is caused by human activities, and those most affected by it seem to be the least informed. This disconnect between personal experience and knowledge of human-induced climate change is influenced by cultural factors. Bridging this gap is crucial for climate adaptation, science communication, and knowledge transfer in Greenland.