nature.com
Support for climate and biodiversity policies differs across cultural worldviews in Japan
As the impacts of climate change intensify1,2, research suggests that public responses toward climate policy are shaped by ideological and social divisions3,4, raising questions about how climate action can advance without reinforcing political polarisation. Social science research has indicated that divisions are rooted not in knowledge deficits but in motivated reasoning influenced by cultural worldviews, such as hierarchy and individualism3,5. These worldview-driven biases, often described as “myside bias”, limit the effectiveness of information-based interventions6. Biodiversity conservation may offer a promising avenue. A recent survey in eight countries found over 80% support for the global “30-by-30” target, suggesting that such policies are politically feasible and socially acceptable7. Biodiversity loss is directly intertwined with climate change through cascading feedback, and protecting forests, grasslands, wetlands, coastal ecosystems, and montane ecosystems can enhance carbon sequestration and climate resilience8,9. In contrast, climate mitigation measures such as the expansion of renewable energy infrastructure can raise concerns about land use conflicts and impacts on ecosystems and landscapes10, highlighting the possibility of trade-offs between climate and biodiversity objectives. For example, in countries such as Japan, large-scale ground-mounted solar projects (“mega-solar”) have raised concerns about land conversion and associated ecological impacts11, while wind power development has raised concerns about...
