biostudies-literatureGonzalez JBThe Spanish National Science FoundationExcelencia Junta de Andaluciae0266387https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8982886biostudies-literatureUnknown17(4)Although Africa is the most vulnerable region to climate change, little research has focused on how climate change is perceived by Africans. Using random forest methodology, we analyze survey and climate data from second-order political boundaries to explore what predicts climate change beliefs in Africa. We include five different dimensions of climate change beliefs: climate change awareness, belief in anthropogenic climate change, risk perception, the need to stop climate change, and self-efficacy. Based on these criteria we identify five key results: (1) climate change in Africa is largely perceived through its negative impacts on agriculture; (2) actual changes in local climate conditions are related to climate change beliefs; (3) authoritarian and intolerant ideologies are associated PloS oneMultilevel predictors of climate change beliefs in Africa.PMC8982886PY-18-FR-0007PGC2018-093506-B-I00Sanchez AGonzalez JBfalseMultilevel predictors of climate change beliefs in Africa.Although Africa is the most vulnerable region to climate change, little research has focused on how climate change is perceived by Africans. Using random forest methodology, we analyze survey and climate data from second-order political boundaries to explore what predicts climate change beliefs in Africa. We include five different dimensions of climate change beliefs: climate change awareness, belief in anthropogenic climate change, risk perception, the need to stop climate change, and self-efficacy. Based on these criteria we identify five key results: (1) climate change in Africa is largely perceived through its negative impacts on agriculture; (2) actual changes in local climate conditions are related to climate change beliefs; (3) authoritarian and intolerant ideologies are associated 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z20222025-04-19T09:20:30.475Z2025-04-19T09:20:30.475ZS-EPMC89828863538102110.1371/journal.pone.0266387