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"Between September and November 2009, the BBC World Service Trust’s Research and Learning Group, on behalf of the British Council, conducted research in DR congo to gauge public understanding of climate change. the research consisted of 12 focus group discussions in six locations with congolese ci ... tizens, as well as 17 in-depth interviews with opinion leaders from government, religious institutions, the private sector, the media and civil society. The overall objective was to find out what people think about climate change and to determine how to tailor communication and media strategies to support dr congo’s response to climate change. Key findings There is a universal perception among Congolese people that their climate is changing. they tell of changes in the rainy seasons and increases in temperature and use the word ‘climate’ to describe these. Many people talk about the “disruption” of the dry and rainy seasons and say that it is causing crop failure and affecting the country’s forests. people are particularly concerned about these changes because of the population’s reliance on natural resources. Many are aware of the terms “climate change” and “global warming” and cite the media and schools as their main sources of information. However, few relate these terms to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Most simply use the terms to refer to the changes in the rainy seasons and increases in temperature they are experiencing. People have a number of misconceptions. Some people inaccurately link climate change to ozone depletion, and outside the capital, most think that “global warming” refers to an increase in the temperature of the air or earth over a short period of time. There is a strong notion of environmental stewardship linked to people’s faith. people have seen how human activity has harmed their natural environment, and they perceive that human activity could also have an effect on the weather. many think that the natural environment, including the weather, is god’s creation, and believe that they have a responsibility to protect it. Many people believe the weather changes that they are witnessing have local causes. for example, they say that deforestation in their local area is leading to a reduction in local rainfall, and some believe that local smoke and pollution from wood fires and industry lead to increases in temperature. Some also inaccurately relate increases in temperature to ozone depletion, which they think is caused by smoke, air pollution and other factors such as rockets and weapons. Some see changes in temperature and weather as the will of god – a view particularly prevalent among female rural populations." (Executive summary) more

"In May 2009, the BBC World Service Trust’s Research and Learning Group, on behalf of the British Council, conducted research in Senegal to gauge public understanding of climate change. The research consisted of 12 focus-group discussions with Senegalese citizens, as well as 17 in-depth interviews ... more

"1. Overall awareness of Afghan Woman’s Hour (AWH) in Afghanistan was found to be high; 50% of all those who had listened to the radio in the previous month were aware of AWH. Awareness was higher in the South Western region at 64% compared with the lowest level of awareness at 23% in the Hazarjat ... more

"Africa Talks Climate": Comparing Audience Understandings of Climate Change in Ten African Countries

Democratic Republic of Congo Talks Climate: The Public Understanding of Climate Change

Senegal Talks Climate: The Public Understanding of Climate Change

The Impact of the BBC World Service Trust's Programme Afghan Woman's Hour: Results from a National Survey in Afghanistan