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Funding Information

This research was funded through several internal sources at Utah State University: the Undergraduate Research and Creative Opportunities grant; the departments of Watershed Sciences, Economics, and Sociology and Anthropology; the Community and Natural Resources Institute and the Christensen Office of Social Action and Sustainability, In addition this work was funded in part through Jobs for the Future with support from the Ares Charitable Foundation through grant 205107-00001. The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Abstract

Climate change is altering global ecosystems and imperiling human health, but knowledge of these impacts does not always translate into adaptation and mitigation action. Many solutions fall under decarbonization, or the reduction and capture of atmospheric carbon. These actions are increasingly developed at more localized, sub-state levels. Thus, understanding the attitudes of Cache County, Utah, residents, including students and faculty at Utah State University, toward different decarbonization techniques will be important to building successful climate action plans and policies. Here, as part of a large-scale collaborative group of different on-campus departments and community partners, we held focus groups to examine knowledge and attitudes regarding climate change and decarbonization. Participants were highly knowledgeable about climate change and decarbonization and desired greater local actions, despite their acknowledgment of existing barriers to action. Amplifying community voices helps to inform local policy and support sustainability initiatives on campus. In doing so, this research highlights how university campuses and students can be leaders in developing community collaborations aimed at achieving climate solutions.

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