Unpacking engagement in EU climate policies: a socio-psychological approach

Climate adaptation is increasingly recognized as a global necessity. Top-down adaptation measures alone are unlikely to be effective unless complemented by bottom-up implementation and public compliance. To achieve this, individual engagement in the enactment of climate adaptation policies is essential. Motivating individuals requires a psychological understanding of the factors that drive support for policy operationalization. This study investigates these factors in European contexts by incorporating key concepts from the Extended Parallel Process Model, along with social norms and environmental awareness. The results of structural equation modeling reveal that perceived risk and efficacy significantly influence individuals’ intentions to support climate adaptation policies. Additionally, social norms and environmental awareness significantly impact climate risk perception. Perceived risk emerged as the strongest determinant of engagement intention, while environmental awareness was the strongest predictor of perceived risk. From a policy perspective, efforts to increase individual engagement should consider these dimensions, particularly the crucial role of raising environmental awareness.