Assessing multidimensional socioeconomic effects on climate change perceptions in the Taipei metropolitan area

• Examines urban climate change perceptions in Taipei and New Taipei cities in Taiwan • Detects 8-dimension structure of climate perceptions from cross-cultural perspective • Shows socioeconomic factors significantly shaping climate change attitudes • Reveals gender, age, and education as key predictors of climate concerns • Offers insights into tailored urban climate communication and governance This cross-sectional study examines residents’ perceptions of climate change in the Taipei metropolitan area of Taiwan and explores how these perceptions vary by socioeconomic characteristics. A survey of 524 adults aged 18 years and older living in Taipei or New Taipei City was conducted. The climate-change perception questionnaire was administered on-site using systematic random sampling (every third eligible respondent). The responses in the two cities showed similar overall patterns and were analyzed collectively for comparability. Data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis to identify latent dimensions of climate perception (e.g., perceived local impacts, causal attributions, and responsibility). MANOVA was then used to examine differences across education, income, age, and gender. Results support a multidimensional structure of climate perceptions and reveal consistent socioeconomic gradients. Higher education and income are associated with stronger attribution of anthropogenic causes and greater perceived personal responsibility. Younger respondents emphasize local impacts and readiness for adaptation. Women report slightly greater concern across several dimensions. The findings have implications for targeted climate communication and urban governance in dense East Asian urban contexts. Theoretical contributions and practical applications of the findings are discussed.