ABSTRACT
A certain number of studies have been made concerned with the influence of values on climate-change-related knowledge of opportunities and problems, and climate-mitigation and climate-adaptation preferences. In environmental sociology, the relevance of altruistic and egoistic values has been discussed as providing explanations for the acceptance of climate-mitigation measures. Early environmental-sociology research on values and environmental behaviour followed the idea that environmental-conservation values were congruent with altruistic ideals. The chapter demonstrates that Shalom Schwartz’s values model aligns with many of the values discussed within environmental sociology, and that the model has also already been discussed as an important explanatory approach to various climate-related problem constructions, climate-mitigation and adaptation preferences. Climate-mitigation measures can also be associated with the task of providing security, such as in the implementation of sustainable energies. The chapter examines three existing principal forms of background knowledge have been given as an explanation for different climate-culture orientations, namely values, beliefs specifically, ecological worldviews, and identification with places/regions.
