Four out of five people want more climate protection, according to UN survey

According to a new global survey of 75,000 people – Referendum on climate 2024 – 80 percent want stronger climate commitments from their governments.

By Cristen Hemingway Jaynes

The survey, conducted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), GeoPoll and the University of Oxford, asked 15 questions by telephone to residents of 77 countries representing 87 percent of the world’s population, AFP reported.

“The peoples’ climate vote is loud and clear. Global citizens want their leaders to overcome their differences, act now and take bold action to address the climate crisis,” said Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, in a UNDP press release. “The poll results – unprecedented in their scope – show a level of consensus that is truly astonishing. We urge world leaders and policymakers to take note, especially as countries develop their next round of climate pledges – or ‘nationally determined contributions’ under the Paris Agreement. This is an issue on which almost everyone, everywhere, agrees.”

According to the survey, 89 percent of poorer countries supported increased efforts to reduce global emissions, while 76 percent of wealthier G20 countries supported stricter climate protection measures.

The numbers were slightly lower for the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters: China (73 percent) and the United States (66 percent) supported more vigorous measures to combat global warming.

“As world leaders decide on the next round of commitments under the Paris Agreement through 2025, these results are irrefutable evidence that people everywhere support bold climate action. The Peoples’ Climate Vote captured the voices of people everywhere – including those groups that are traditionally the hardest to consult. For example, people in nine of the 77 countries surveyed had never been consulted on climate change before. The next two years are one of the best chances we have as an international community to ensure that warming stays below 1.5°. We stand ready to support policymakers to step up their efforts as they develop their climate action plans through our Climate Promise initiative,” said Cassie Flynn, UNDP’s Global Director for Climate Change, in the press release.

The highest figures were in Brazil (85 percent in favor of stronger climate protection commitments), Iran (88 percent) and Italy (93 percent).

Among the five largest emitters – Canada, France, Germany, Australia and the USA – women supported more climate protection measures by 10 to 17 percent.

The survey also found that a 72 percent majority worldwide supports a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels, including in the top 10 coal, oil and gas producers.

Only seven percent of respondents worldwide believed their government should not move away from fossil fuels at all.

Climate change is a concern for people around the world. The survey found that 56 percent of respondents think about it regularly – daily or weekly. Of these, 63 percent live in the least developed countries (LDCs).

More than half of respondents (53 percent) also said they are more concerned about climate change this year than last year.

Globally, 69 percent of respondents said their important life decisions, such as where they work or live, were influenced by the climate crisis. The proportion was higher in the least developed countries at 74 percent, lower in Northern and Western Europe at 52 percent and in North America at 42 percent.

“A survey of this scale was a huge scientific undertaking. While maintaining a rigorous methodology, special efforts were made to include people from marginalised groups in the poorest parts of the world. This is some of the highest quality global data on public opinion on climate change currently available,” said Professor Stephen Fisher of the Department of Sociology at the University of Oxford in the press release.

Cristen is a writer of fiction and nonfiction. She holds a law degree and a certificate in maritime and coastal law from the University of Oregon School of Law and an MA in creative writing from Birkbeck, University of London. She is the author of the short story collection The Smallest of Entryways and the travel memoir Ernest’s Way: An International Journey Through Hemingway’s Life.

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