Abstract
Despite widespread awareness of climate change, public attention to the issue remains limited—a challenge with significant implications for policy communication and engagement. In three studies, we test whether individual’s judgements about i) the usefulness of climate information ii) how the information will make them feel, and iii) whether the information relates to concepts they think of often predicts climate information-seeking preferences. Adopting the risk-as-feelings hypothesis, we build upon prior research by testing whether immediate emotions guide information-seeking behaviour in addition to anticipated emotions. Our findings contribute to understanding barriers to climate engagement and offer evidence-based insights for policymakers seeking to enhance public receptivity to climate information and mobilise broader participation in climate action.