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Viktoria Cologna

@colognaviktoria.bsky.social

4.9K followers 410 following 66 posts

Group leader - EawagㅣPreviously at Harvard & ETH ZurichㅣTrust in science, science-policy interface, environmental psychology

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Viktoria Cologna @colognaviktoria.bsky.social · Jan 20

Our global study on the state of trust in scientists is now out in Nature Human Behaviour! 🥳

With a team of 241 researchers, we surveyed 71,922 people in 68 countries, providing the largest dataset on trust in scientists post-pandemic 👇🧵https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-024-02090-5

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Reposted by Viktoria Cologna

Fabian Dablander @fdabl.bsky.social · Jul 7

In our now published letter in @pnas.org, we raise two wider issues for behavioral science:

1) Intentions are poor predictors of behavior
2) Effects on intentions need not generalize to effects on behavior

We join calls for researchers to measure actual behavior: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Expressing intentions is not climate action letter published in PNAS: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2512457122

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Viktoria Cologna @colognaviktoria.bsky.social · Jul 2

Thanks for asking! We did not establish causation. Indeed, we note in the paper that the reverse causal relationship is also possible (as you suggest) and that future work should examine the nature and direction of this relationship.

Reposted by Viktoria Cologna

bergquistmagnus.bsky.social @bergquistmagnus.bsky.social · Apr 27

🌪️Experiencing extreme weathers had no direct effect on climate policies support.

n = 1295: 🇺🇸 🇬🇧 🇩🇪 🇦🇺

EXPECTING more severe weather events in the future did.

In sum:
Expectation (not experience) predicts climate policy support!

doi.org/10.1016/j.je...

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Reposted by Viktoria Cologna

Ed Hawkins @edhawkins.org · Jul 2

1°C of global warming does NOT mean that heatwaves 'just' get hotter by 1°C.

Over large parts of the UK, global warming means that heatwaves are 3-4°C warmer, with worse consequences for people and ecosystems.

UK maps showing changes in temperatures for typical summer days and hot summer days.

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Viktoria Cologna @colognaviktoria.bsky.social · Jul 1

This study was a huge collaborative, and truly interdisciplinary, effort 🙏 Huge thanks to my co-authors @simonameiler.bsky.social @samluethi.bsky.social @nielsmede.bsky.social @johnbesley.bsky.social @cameronbrick.bsky.social @marinajoubert.bsky.social @maibached.bsky.social and many others! 7/7

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Viktoria Cologna @colognaviktoria.bsky.social · Jul 1

Making the link between climate change and extreme weather events more salient could increase climate policy support. The current heatwaves in many parts of the world provide a window of opportunity for communicators to increase subjective attribution and potentially climate action ☝️🌍 6/7

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Viktoria Cologna @colognaviktoria.bsky.social · Jul 1

Note: Our data does not allow us to make conclusions about individual-level exposure, i.e., we don't know whether respondents were directly affected. A recent study found pos. relationships between individual-level exposure and climate risk perceptions osf.io/preprints/ps... @fdabl.bsky.social 5/7

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Viktoria Cologna @colognaviktoria.bsky.social · Jul 1

However, population-level exposure to most events was unrelated to climate policy support. Interestingly, and in line with previous studies, only population-level exposure to wildfires was positively related to climate policy support. 4/7

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Viktoria Cologna @colognaviktoria.bsky.social · Jul 1

We found that subjective attribution was well above the scale midpoint in all countries and confirm previous findings that a majority support climate policies. We also provide global evidence that subjective attribution predicts climate policy support. 3/7

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Viktoria Cologna @colognaviktoria.bsky.social · Jul 1

We created a measure of exposed population to different types of extreme weather event (e.g., heatwaves) over the last decades across 68 countries. We then triangulated this data with survey responses on subjective attribution of extreme events to climate change and climate policy support. 2/7

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Viktoria Cologna @colognaviktoria.bsky.social · Jul 1

🚨 How do exposure to extreme weather events and the subjective attribution of these events to climate change relate to climate policy support across the world? 🔥🌎

Find out more in our OA article published in Nature Climate Change 👇 1/7 🧵 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Extreme weather event attribution predicts climate policy support across the world - Nature Climate Change

Literature produced inconsistent findings regarding the links between extreme weather events and climate policy support across regions, populations and events. This global study offers a holistic asse...

www.nature.com

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Viktoria Cologna @colognaviktoria.bsky.social · Jun 24

Huge congratulations, Matt!! 🎉

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Reposted by Viktoria Cologna

Nature Human Behaviour @nathumbehav.nature.com · Jun 7

This new research shows majority support for global redistributive policies in 20 countries. Follow-up experiments show the support is sincere. @adrien-fabre.bsky.social @linusmattauch.bsky.social @cired.bsky.social
#EconTwitter #EconSky #Climate #GreenSky
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Majority support for global redistributive and climate policies - Nature Human Behaviour

Fabre et al. demonstrate widespread support for global redistributive and climate policies through surveys across 20 countries. This support is shown to be sincere, as confirmed by follow-up survey ex...

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Viktoria Cologna

Marina Joubert @marinajoubert.bsky.social · May 23

Looking for two post-docs to join our Public Engagement Lab at Stellenbosch University ...

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Reposted by Viktoria Cologna

The Society Pages @thesocietypages.bsky.social · May 22

🌍What does global trust in science really look like in 2025?

Read our new piece by Jordyn Wald summarizing research by @colognaviktoria.bsky.social, @nielsmede.bsky.social and dozens of other researchers around the world in @nathumbehav.nature.com:

🔗 bit.ly/4kcgTV6 🔗

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Viktoria Cologna @colognaviktoria.bsky.social · May 13

On June 3, 2025, I'll be moderating a panel discussion with social and natural scientists, a journalist, and an artist on how we can harness extreme weather events as a window of opportunity to spark climate action.

More information ▶️ collegium.ethz.ch/events/fello...

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Reposted by Viktoria Cologna

PEGO Research Group @pego-group.bsky.social · May 7

🌍 The PEGO Research Group is now on Bluesky!

Follow us for updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into our research, events, projects, etc.  We’d love to connect with you.

🔗 Learn more: www.eawag.ch/en/departmen... 👋 Also connect with us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/pego...

Eawag - Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology - Eawag

www.eawag.ch

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Reposted by Viktoria Cologna

Cyril Brunner @brunncy.bsky.social · May 2

Next Tuesday evening, we are delighted to have one of the most remarkable and inspiring scientists as our guest. If you've never heard Naomi Oreskes @naomioreskes.bsky.social (Harvard University) in person, this is your chance at ETH Zürich as part of the SPEED2ZERO Perspective series.

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Reposted by Viktoria Cologna

Justin S. Mankin @jsmankin.bsky.social · Apr 23

Can scientists trace climate losses back to the emissions from individual fossil fuel companies?

Yes, we can.

The inimitable @ccallahan45.bsky.social and I provide an 'end-to-end' attribution framework that can be applied in many climate accountability contexts:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Carbon majors and the scientific case for climate liability - Nature

A transparent and reproducible scientific framework is introduced to formalize how trillions in economic losses are attributable to the extreme heat caused by emissions from fossil fuel companies, whi...

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Viktoria Cologna

Mario Gollwitzer @mariogollwitzer.bsky.social · Apr 24

🎺JOB ALERT👀: We (@LMU Munich) are hiring a postdoc (full-term) for the coordination of META-REP, a metascientific research consortium (www.lmu.de/psy/de/forsc...). Application deadline May 15, 2025. See full job ad here: job-portal.lmu.de/jobposting/3.... Contact me if you need more info!

Research Associate (m/f/x)

job-portal.lmu.de

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Viktoria Cologna @colognaviktoria.bsky.social · Apr 23

New study finds that scientists' engagement in climate protests does not erode their credibility. This supports our previous findings on scientists' advocacy. Thank you for this important contribution @fdabl.bsky.social, @maiensachis.bsky.social, and Adam Aron 👏

Fabian Dablander @fdabl.bsky.social · Apr 23

🎉 Effects of climate protests by scientists paper published!

Our findings suggest that scientists can engage in public protest without compromising their credibility, but that such actions alone may have less impact than one would like to believe: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...

Picture of the abstract of our new paper

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Reposted by Viktoria Cologna

Peter Gleick @petergleick.bsky.social · Apr 22

Atmospheric CO2 has passed 430 parts per million.

The last time atmospheric CO2 was at 430 ppm was during the ancient Pliocene Era, three to five million years ago, and humans didn’t exist.

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Viktoria Cologna @colognaviktoria.bsky.social · Apr 15

Thanks for this inspiring article and congratulations @alelazic.bsky.social 👏

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Viktoria Cologna @colognaviktoria.bsky.social · Apr 11

We asked 3,000+ researchers from 101 countries if global green growth (i.e. sustainable economic growth) is possible. 59% said yes. 👇

Green growth endorsement was linked to beliefs that economic growth is key to human well-being. Thanks to @manuelsuter.bsky.social for leading this study! 👏

PLOS Climate @plosclimate.org · Apr 10

New research by @manuelsuter.bsky.social and colleagues:

"Green growth beliefs: Investigating factors associated with expert opinions on green growth"

journals.plos.org/climate/arti...

@colognaviktoria.bsky.social @naomioreskes.bsky.social

Green growth beliefs: Investigating factors associated with expert opinions on green growth

Green growth attempts to achieve sustainable development under continued economic growth and is currently one of the leading policy responses to mitigate climate change and prevent environmental colla...

journals.plos.org

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Reposted by Viktoria Cologna

Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · Apr 10

Ridiculously interesting study - who in the research community beliefs in, supports or rejects 'green growth' as a model?

journals.plos.org/climate/arti...

Manuel SuterManuel Suter
• 1st • 1st
Research in Behavioral & Ecological Economics (Dr. rer. oec. | PhD)Research in Behavioral & Ecological Economics (Dr. rer. oec. | PhD)
1h • Edited • 1 hour ago • Edited • Visible to anyone on or off LinkedIn

Do researchers believe in global green growth (i.e. the idea that continued economic growth can be achieved sustainably)?

We explored this question in a new study, surveying 3,028 researchers from 101 countries — all of whom have published in leading peer-reviewed journals.

📊 What we found:

🔹59% of respondents believe green growth is achievable on a global scale.

🔹Economists are more optimistic (69%) than non-economists (51%).

🔹There are large variations in green growth endorsement across scientific disciplines, with the highest green growth endorsement by researchers from the field Economics, Econometrics and Finance (74%) and the lowest from researchers in the field Earth and Planetary Sciences (41%).

🔹Even among green growth believers, there are considerable differences with regard to the assessment of the feasibility of key conditions for green growth like absolute decoupling of economic growth from resource and energy use.

🔹Green growth endorsement was most strongly assosciated with the belief that sustained economic growth is essential for human well-being. This may imply that green growth beliefs among researchers are influenced by ideology.

🌍 Our findings suggest that, despite its widespread political popularity, there is no global scientific consensus on the viability of global green growth.

📄 The article has been published in the journal PLOS Climate (open access, see link below). A big thank you to my fantastic co-authors Noel Strahm, Till Bundeli, Kaja Kaessner, Viktoria Cologna, Oreskes Naomi, and Sebastian Berger.

Link to Journal Article: https://lnkd.in/eRDqaN7A

hashtag#GreenGrowth hashtag#Degrowth hashtag#Agrowth hashtag#Sustainability hashtag#EnvironmentalPolicy hashtag#ClimatePolicy ha…

A. Green Gro Belie
Economists Non-economists Overall
[) [) [v)
69% ) 5 p | 59%
B. Green Growth Criticism
Strongly agree 7 . .
6
4
3
2
Strongly disagree 1
Global decoupling from Global decoupling before Economic growth is
material and energy use 2°C warming is possible essential for well-being
is possible
No green growth endorsement Green growth endorsement

Bellefs and Knowledge about GDP Growth and Environment
Number of environmental issues named ot 0.046" (0.015)
Belief that climate change will bring major
negalive consequences to peopl n local community Ing 0.033(0.020)
Familiarity with groon growth Poe 0.012 (0.037)
Belief that biodivrsily oss wil bring major 5
negaiive consequences (0 people in focal community ag 0.008 (0.020)
Boliof hat global decoupling fom material and "
energy uses possible aa o.078° (0.017)
Boliof that global decoupling bofore 2°C warming -
s possible iret 0.095 0.018)
Sokal at economic growth + essential for . 0450 (0.018)
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[Beliefs about potential of environmental problem mitigation measures
Non-violent civil disobedience ot 0.087 (0.016)
Voluntary consumption reduction of end-users eit 0016 (0016)
Environmental regulations —-— 0.002 (0016)
Social innovation re 0.040" 0.016)
Market based solutions eu 0426" (0.017)
Technological advances re 0.458" 0.017)
06 05 04 03 02 01 00 01 02 03 04 05
Socio-Demographic characteristics.
Gender: Self-described / not disclosed — 0.260 (0.156)
Gender: Female a] 0.087" (0.033)
Continent: Oceania ———i 0074 (0.062)
Continent: Africa ei 0.066 (0.117)
Hindox —— 0.008 (0019)
Age —— 0002 0.018)
Living area: Urban ——i 0035 (0.037)
Roligiousness rot 0036" 0.015)
Continent: North America a] 0037 (0.036)
Continent: South America ——— 0045 (0.068)
Political orientation (left-right) a 0.069" (0.017)
Scientific fold: Economist —— 0.422 0.034)
Continent: Asia ——— 0.122" (0.055)
Career stage: 0-5 years after PhD. ———— 0.150 (0.080)
Career stage: 6+ years after PhD —— 0.218" (0.077)
06 05 04 03 02 01 00 01 02 03 04 05

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