Abstract: The scientific literacy of citizens significantly influences individual perceptions of climate change. This paper conducts an empirical study on the relationship between these two variables based on data from the 2023 Science, Technology and Society Barometer Survey. The findings reveal that scientific literacy has a notable positive impact on individuals' perceptions of climate change. Mechanism analysis indicates that improvements in scientific literacy affect climate change perception through increased scientific interest, trust in science, and trust in scientists, thereby exerting a positive influence. Heterogeneity analysis shows that, at the individual level, the positive impact of scientific literacy on climate change perception is greater for males, individuals with a bachelor's degree or higher, and younger individuals compared to females, those with less than a bachelor's degree, and older age groups. At the regional level, scientific literacy positively influences climate change perception in the eastern, central, and western regions, with the degree of influence being strongest in the eastern region, followed by the western and central regions, while the positive impact in the northeastern region lacks statistical significance. Enhancing citizens' scientific literacy and trust in science, thereby guiding behavioral changes to address the global issue of climate change, can be achieved through strengthening climate change education, promoting the practice of low-carbon lifestyles, and building professional scientific communities.