Perception of hydrometeorological risks in people interested in the objectives of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development

Abstract

Hydrometeorological phenomena still cause deaths in Mexico, despite the fact that the population is continuously informed about its impact. Therefore, it is necessary to know the perception that society has about
the risks of hydrometeorological origin. This study is based on analyzing the risk perception of forty people
who were interested in the sustainable development objectives of the 2030 agenda in order to measure their
assessment on three main axes: 1) weather forecast, 2) climate change and 3) meteorological events. The
results indicate that the weather forecast is not very important for this population, since 62% of the population does not consult it before leaving their home. However, 81% follow the recommendations issued
by Civil Protection before meteorological events. On the other hand, 90% of the population is concerned
about the impacts that climate change could have on their locality. Based on this survey, it is concluded that
governmental and civilian efforts should be directed to educate the population so that they know how to
use climate information issued by official institutions. Thus, individuals will be able to make informed and
responsible decisions regarding a high impact weather event.