Awareness and Perception of Rangeland Users on Occurrence of Climate Change in Relation to Environmental Resources Sustainability (Case study: Rangeland Users in the Central Part of Najafabad)

Climate change is a global challenge that has had harmful effects on human health, the environment, and natural resources, especially rangelands and rangeland users’ livelihoods. Recognition and perception of local users of the sign’s climate change is a fundamental step in how to face and employ appropriate strategies to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change and environmental resources sustainability. This study assesses the awareness and perception of rangeland users on the occurrence of signs of climate change in the central part of Najafabad, including the villages of Jalalabad, Hajiabad, and Nahastabad. The statistical population of the study included 68 rangeland users, according to Cochran's formula, 58 of them were selected as a statistical sample. The perception of local communities about the occurrence of climate change in the three dimensions of rainfall, temperature, and wind was measured with 9, 9, and 5 items, respectively, in the form of a seven-choice Likert scale. After completing the questionnaire and recording the information in the Excel spreadsheet, data analysis was performed using SPSS software, and graphs were drawn in the Excel environment. The results showed that %77.59 of the respondents estimated a high level of understanding of the signs of climate change. From the set of components related to the perception of signs of changes in rainfall, temperature, and wind, the amount of water in springs, aqueducts, and deep wells (1), the intensity of temperature fluctuations in the region (2), and the wind speed (intensification of winds) in the region (3) were assigned the highest priority. In general, it can be concluded that in order to deal with the consequences of climate change and the sustainability of environmental resources, the perception and attitude of rangeland users could be effective in the success of adaptation policies and strategies.