Climate change is a huge threat to every human society and natural ecosystem, yet public attitudes, belief and perceptions vary greatly. Studies found that the highest levels of awareness were reported in the developed world. However, Singaporeans and Dutch people still differ from each other. Climate change perceptions can be measured best by climate change awareness and risk perception. Singaporeans are mostly aware of climate change because they feel the local temperature increasing. This makes sense, because in 2016 Singapore has had its hottest year since 1929. The country also has to deal with prolonged dry weather and more intense rainfall. This makes that the residents daily experience the consequences of climate change. In contrast, Dutch residents are more aware because they have knowledge about the causes of climate change. The Dutch are educated about all aspects of global warming, and water is one of the main aspects that identifies the country. In both countries, more than 75% of the residents is aware of climate change. The Netherlands is one of the top ten most aware countries, whereas Singapore is lower in this list.

In sum, by promoting education we can help to speed up the process of raising awareness. But so far, both countries do relatively well in educate their residents. One main difference is that Dutch people are more aware of the risks. Globally they have a more accurate risk perception than Singaporeans. This is because floods are a big part of the Dutch history and the government attempts to manage water are famous around the world.