Assessing Climate Change Risk Perception and Adaptation Intentions Using the Theory of Planned Behavior: Insights From a Study of Small‐Scale Fishers in Ningbo, China

Climate change increasingly threatens coastal fisheries and the livelihoods of small‐scale fishers. Although the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) has been widely used to explain pro‐environmental intentions, its application to climate adaptation in fisheries remains limited, and the role of risk perception as an antecedent to the TPB constructs requires further examination. This study applies an extended TPB model in which climate change risk perception (RP) is specified as an antecedent, while political trust (PT) and environmental responsibility (ER) are examined as moderators. Survey data from 426 small‐scale fishers in Ningbo, China, were analyzed using structural equation modeling. RP had a significant direct effect on adaptation intention and a significant total indirect effect through attitude (AT), subjective norms (SN), and perceived behavioral control (PBC) considered jointly. AT and SN significantly predicted adaptation intention (AI), whereas PBC showed a positive but non‐significant direct association in the full structural model. PT and ER strengthened the relationships between the TPB constructs and adaptation intention. These findings show that risk perception is related to adaptation intention both directly and through the core TPB constructs, while political trust and environmental responsibility affect the strength of the proximal TPB relationships. The results support policies that improve locally relevant risk communication, reduce practical barriers to adaptation, strengthen community support, and promote transparent and participatory fisheries governance.