Perceptions of CO2 Report - Global CCS Institute

Table 4: Factors influencing first impression of CCSSeeing CCS as …A positivetechnologyClean Useful Safe MatureAcceptance of risksrelated to newtechnologiesPositiveinfluence beta0.07Positiveinfluence beta0.09Positiveinfluence beta0.08Positive influencebeta 0.07Understanding thatCO 2 influences climatePositiveinfluence beta0.09Believing that CO 2affects health as sootdoesKnowing that CO 2 isemitted from powerplantsPositiveinfluence beta0.8Positive influencebeta 0.08Positive influencebeta -0.07Understanding thathuman body producesCO 2Positive influenceNegative influenceNegativeinfluence beta0.6Negativeinfluence beta -0.11Moving beyond these knowledge factors to consider how CO 2 impressions influenced CCSimpressions, the only significant influence was exerted by the impression of CO 2 as “useful” (beta0.04, p < 0.05). Looking at the singular impression items, perceiving CO 2 as useful maderespondents perceive CCS as more useful as well, just as perceiving CO 2 as more dangerousmakes respondents perceive CCS as more dangerous. This tendency was repeated in the case of“CO 2 Clean”and “CCSClean”, but the effect was relatively weak (beta 0.05, p < 0.05).Self-rated knowledge and CCS impressionWhen respondents’ self-rated knowledge was compared to their CCS impressions, higherawareness of CCS was generally linked to a lower percentage of “3: Neither/ Both equally”responses and a higher percentage of anchoring option responses (1 or 5). This implied thatrespondents with higher awareness and self-reported knowledge had more pronounced opinions.This was notably true for the “Safe” measure.Respondents who rated themselves as knowing a little about CCS (i.e., those who selected “3: Ihave heard about it and I know a little about it” options in the awareness of CCS questions, 20.1%of the total), also tended to be favorable towards CCS. This ‘little knowledge’ group account for thehighest percentages in “Positive” and “Useful” impression responses, and the second highestpercentages of “4” and “5” answer options chosen in the other impressions. Among respondentswho had “only heard about CCS” (i.e. who selected “2: I have heard about it but I don’t really knowwhat it is” options in the awareness of CCS questions – 24.5% of the total), only a few of themindicated their impression of CCS to be “Negative”, “Dirty”, “Useless”, and “Developingtechnology”. Almost a third, however, indicated to perceive CCS as at least somewhat dangerous.Among respondents who had never heard about CCS (i.e. who selected “1: No, I have not heardabout it” options in the awareness of CCS questions, 53.2% of the total), many selected “3:Neither/ Both equally” in relation to the impression options.Understanding how individuals perceive carbon dioxide | 31