Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Liu, Anqi
• Kam, Jonghun
• Kwon, Sae Yun
• Shao, Wanyun

Titel

Monitoring the impact of climate extremes and COVID-19 on statewise sentiment alterations in water pollution complaints

Ist Teil von

• npj clean water, 2023, Vol.6 (1), p.29-29, Article 29

Ort / Verlag

England: Nature Publishing Group

Erscheinungsjahr

2023

Quelle

EZB Electronic Journals Library

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• The COVID-19 pandemic and associated prevention policies can directly or indirectly alter the sentiment of individuals while registering water pollution complaints, but observational evidence remains limited. Here, we conducted a sentiment analysis on over 10,000 water pollution complaints from residents in Alabama, USA (2012-2021) to better understand how and to what extent COVID-19 has altered emotion (polarity score-based) and attitude (subjectivity) of water pollution complaints. We found that the 2017 state-wise drought significantly increased the percentage of negative water pollution complaints by +35%, with no significant alternation in attitude before the COVID-19 pandemic. Since COVID-19, the percentage of negative and subjective water pollution complaints significantly decreased and increased by -30 and +20%, respectively, and these sentiment alternations were maintained by 2021. This study provides a new direction for environmental governance and management, requiring a timely response to changes in the public's emotions and attitudes during the next climate extremes and pandemics.