Assessment of environmental perception of inhabitants of the municipality of Américo Brasiliense on thermal comfort and climate change

Abstract

This research aimed to analyse the environmental perception of climate and the relationship with thermal comfort of adults who have lived in the city of Américo Brasiliense, Brazil. Thus, a questionnaire was created in order to understand the comfort that the participants felt in relation to the environment around them, in addition to the perception of this theme on a global and local scale and how they fit into this context. In this way, it was possible to compare responses and infer the participants' knowledge regarding the concepts of environment and climate comfort in the city. Through the analysis of these aspects in the questionnaire, it was noted that the perception of individuals regarding issues related to the environment, especially in the context of Climate change and the perception of the impact on their comfort and the environment around them, may vary due to the performance of the local government and the involvement of the people in a neighbourhood. It is noticed that respondents related their behaviour and actions in the environment in a different way, when analysed on a global and municipal scale. Therefore, it can be concluded that the sample population can understand the relationship between the environment, thermal comfort and the effect of urban afforestation on local comfort, in addition to the fact that public policies, encouraged by the government, can influence the perception population about the environment in which they live. Another point noticed was the fact that there is an impasse when people think about their roles in relation to the environment and climate change at a local and global level. Part of the interviewees believe that their daily actions in the local environment do not impact the environment when placed on a global scale, which, would be a relevant point that needs to be worked on more deeply.