INSTITUTIONAL BRANDING AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AS FACTORS IN SHAPING PUBLIC OPINION ON EU CLIMATE POLICY
Abstract
This article examines the role of institutional branding and communication strategies in shaping public opinion regarding the European Union’s climate policy. A conceptual model is proposed in which institutional trust acts as a mediator between communication signals and perceptions of policy fairness. Based on descriptive and statistical analysis of secondary data from pan-European surveys, hypotheses regarding the relationship between trust in EU institutions, assessments of the fairness of climate measures, and the level of support for them have been tested. Graphs provide statistical evidence of a correlation between trust in the EU and, consequently, the perception of climate policy as fair. The results confirm the significance of institutional branding as a strategic resource for legitimacy and demonstrate that the communicative framing of compensation mechanisms significantly influences public perception of reforms.
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