Perceptions of CO2 Report - Global CCS Institute

9.2 Recommendations9.2.1 NEED FOR EFFORTS TO PROMOTE DIALOGUE AND UNDERSTANDING ABOUT CCSTO INCORPORATE INFORMATION ON CO 2The demonstration of the limited knowledge base of respondents in this research highlights theneed for communicators to focus on the education of the general public about CO 2 ’s properties,sources, uses and effects, and especially the basic cause-effect relationship between CO 2 levelsand climate change. Prior to receiving information, the majority of respondents did not provide adefinitive response when asked to scale and report their perceptions. This may demonstrate that alack of knowledge about CO 2 is associated with an absence of clarity and certainty about how toperceive it. Therefore opportunity and motivation exists for communicators to explain the natureand properties of CO 2 .9.2.2 NEED FOR BALANCED AND COMPLETE INFORMATION ONO CO 2 ’S PROPERTIESParticularly important to communicate are CO 2 ’s effects on humans and the environment (e.g.,potential for soot-like effects and toxicity.) Also important are the issues of presumed risk andnatural hazard issues (e.g., earthquakes.) The strongest influence on CCS perceptions wasexerted by concerns of the risk of CCS on human health, which had a negative impact on CCSimpressions. This result shows quantitatively that risk communication considerations are one of thebiggest issues to be addressed in developing public understanding of CCS.9.2.3 NEED TO ADDRESS TOPICS DEEMED IMPORTANT BY RESPONDENTSThe variation of reactions, anxieties, and beliefs amongst respondents highlights the importance ofaccounting for these in communication and education efforts. Essentially, in addition to firstinforming on the properties of CO 2 , communications about CCS must also account for a widerange of typical misperceptions regarding CO 2 . It is worth noting that perceiving CO 2 as usefulmakes respondents perceive CCS as more useful. The same can be said about perceiving CO 2 asmore dangerous; it also makes respondents perceive CCS as more dangerous. The fact thatrespondents considered descriptions of CO 2 ’s natural locations and its behaviour in CCS to beimportant supported the researchers’ choice to include basic and wide-ranging information in thesurvey, and should similarly influence future communication decisions.9.2.4 NEED FOR CARE IN DESCRIBING CO 2 NATURAL PHENOMENAIt is important to present open and transparent information, such as on Lake Nyos and MtMammoth (both the positive and negative sides). The information on “CO 2 natural phenomena”(especially on Mt Mammoth) could change CCS impressions in a negative direction, becausesome respondents might have increased concerns about the risks and dangers of CCS byperceiving the information (such as that provided about Lake Nyos or Mt Mammoth) as ananalogue of CO 2 leakage in CCS (as was seen in the interviews and focus groups). Thereforemore detailed explanations of the differences between an event such as Mt Mammoth and thepotential consequences of CO 2 leakage in CCS are required.50 | Understanding how individuals perceive carbon dioxide