Internet usage and climate change: the moderating role of trust before and after the Ukraine–Russia war

This research assesses different facets of individuals’ daily lives before and after the onset of the Ukraine–Russia War—specifically, trusts in institutions, interest in politics, attitudes toward climate change, and internet usage and mobile communications. This study also explores the role of trust in institutions in shaping the relationship between internet usage and mobile communications and attitudes toward climate change before and after the onset of the war. The analysis leverages data from the European Social Survey Wave 10. These dimensions were scrutinized and compared across eight European countries both before and after the commencement of the Russia–Ukraine War. Participants who responded to the survey after the onset of the war expressed diminished trust in institutions, reduced interest in political matters, more worries about climate change, and amplified use of internet and mobile communications. One particularly noteworthy discovery was the moderating influence of trust in institutions on the relationship between internet usage and mobile communications and attitudes toward climate change after the commencement of the war, a dynamic not observed before the conflict. This suggests that during crises, such as conflicts, trust in institutions can influence people’s response to climate change, especially with the use of internet and mobile communications. Therefore, strengthening this trust may be crucial for a more positive approach to environmental issues in unstable times.