Does public attention effectively reduce climate risk vulnerability? Evidence from 30 Chinese Provinces from 2012 to 2022

Purpose In the context of intensifying global climate risks and increasingly frequent extreme weather events, enhancing climate adaptation capacity and strengthening risk management have become urgent tasks for governments and the public. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of public climate attention on provincial climate vulnerability across Chinese provinces. Members of the public are key social actors in climate policy: their awareness and risk perception can prompt action that reduces vulnerability to climate risks. Design/methodology/approach China is a geographically diverse country and faces both coastal risks, such as sea-level rise, and inland challenges, such as droughts and extreme weather. Using provincial panel data in China from 2012 to 2022, this paper measures public climate attention through Baidu search volumes of climate-related keywords and constructs a climate risk vulnerability index based on exposure, sensitivity and resilience. A two-way fixed-effects model is used to examine the relationship between public climate attention and climate risk vulnerability, as well as its underlying mechanisms. Findings The findings show that climate risk vulnerability in China follows a spatial pattern, being low in the southeast and high in the northwest, with an overall declining trend over time. Public climate attention significantly reduces climate risk vulnerability, a conclusion that holds across several robustness tests. The effect is strongest for resilience, followed by sensitivity and weakest for exposure. It is primarily attributable to the promotion of green innovation and renewable energy. This mitigating effect is particularly pronounced in provinces with lower levels of green finance development. Originality/value This study offers four key innovations. First, it constructs a quantitative measure of public climate attention using the Baidu Index and develops a multidimensional provincial climate risk vulnerability index, providing a new empirical basis for climate risk perception research. Second, it reveals that higher public climate attention significantly reduces regional climate risk vulnerability, adding a behavioral perspective to climate governance studies. Third, it identifies the structural pathways through which attention affects vulnerability, mainly by strengthening adaptive capacity. Finally, it uncovers transmission mechanisms, showing that public climate attention promotes green innovation and improves energy structure and efficiency.