Four out of five people want more climate protection measures: UN survey
In Kuwait City, the sun sets behind overhead power lines as the government urges citizens to ration their electricity consumption in the face of rising temperatures.
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In Kuwait City, the sun sets behind overhead power lines as the government urges citizens to ration their electricity consumption in the face of rising temperatures.
Four out of five respondents want their country to step up its commitment to combating climate change, according to a global survey of 75,000 respondents published on Thursday.
The survey, conducted by the UN Development Programme, the University of Oxford and GeoPoll, asked 15 questions via random telephone calls to people in 77 countries, representing 87 percent of the world’s population.
The most important result: 80 percent of those surveyed want their government to make greater efforts to combat global warming.
The poorer countries are the loudest advocates of this demand, with 89 percent in favor, but the wealthier G20 countries are also very willing to do so (76 percent), according to the survey.
In China (73 percent) and the USA (66 percent) – the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters – a majority of respondents also supported climate protection measures.
“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,” said Cassie Flynn, UNDP Global Climate Director.
A majority of respondents in 62 of the 77 countries surveyed said they supported a rapid transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.
These include China (80 percent) and the USA (54 percent), while in Russia only 16 percent of survey participants were in favor.
Chart showing country responses to a survey conducted by UNDP that asked respondents: “Should your country strengthen or weaken its commitments to combat climate change?”
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Chart showing country responses to a survey conducted by UNDP that asked respondents: “Should your country strengthen or weaken its commitments to combat climate change?”
Concerns about global warming have also increased, according to the survey: 56 percent of respondents said they think about climate change at least once a week.
More than half (53 percent) of respondents said they were more concerned about climate change than last year. By comparison, 15 percent said they were less concerned.
The Fiji Islands are leading the increase in climate anxiety, with 80 percent of people more worried than a year ago, followed by Afghanistan (78 percent) and Turkey (77 percent).
The smallest increase in climate fears was seen in Saudi Arabia (25 percent more concern), followed by Russia (34 percent), the Czech Republic (36 percent) and China (39 percent).
More than two-thirds of survey respondents (69 percent) said that global warming has affected their life decisions, such as where they live or work or what they buy.
Chart showing responses by country to a survey conducted by UNDP asking respondents: “How often do you think about climate change?”
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Chart showing responses by country to a survey conducted by UNDP asking respondents: “How often do you think about climate change?”
But Achim Steiner, head of the UNDP, said these concerns do not necessarily translate to voting and consumer decisions.
“I would do more. But the others are not doing that. So I will do nothing,” Steiner said of people’s “perception gap” regarding climate protection measures.
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