Climate change crisis as serious as Covid pandemic

SEVENTY-one percent of citizens around the world agree that climate change is as serious a crisis as the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, according to the study made available by Ipsos, titled “How does the world view climate change and Covid-19?”

The study also shows that 65 percent of citizens globally agreed that it is important for governments to prioritize climate change in their post- Covid- 19 economic recovery plan.

Eight out of 10 — 79 percent — citizens globally are willing to seek out products that are healthier and better for the environment.

The study also found that climate change remains to be the most important environmental issue in the world today. It is cited by 37 percent of those surveyed in ranking their three top environmental issues, a 7-percent increase from the last time the study was conducted in 2018.

Other environmental issues that are also important are air pollution (33 percent), dealing with the amount of waste we have (32 percent), deforestation (26 percent) and water pollution (25 percent). Concern for these five issues have increased since two years ago.

These are the top environmental issues that citizens expect their local leaders receive the greatest attention.

Completing the top 10 environmental issues that matter to citizens globally are depletion of natural resources ( 20 percent), future energy sources and supplies ( 18 percent), over- packaging of consumer goods ( 15 percent), wildlife conservation (15 percent) and overpopulation (15 percent).

Two thirds — 68 percent — of citizens globally agree that if government does not act now to combat climate change, the government will be failing its people. More than half – nearly six in ten (57 percent) — say they would put off from voting a political party whose policies do not take climate change seriously.

Seventy-seven percent of citizens globally agree that human activities contribute to climate change. Only 9 percent disagrees.

Majority of citizens feel that they are likely to make changes to their own behavior to limit their personal contribution to climate change within the next year.

On dealing with the amount of waste we produce, the public are willing to exercise the power of their purse when 57 percent agree that they are willing to avoid products that have a lot of packaging. South Koreans and the Chinese take the lead at 80 percent and 71 percent, respectively. Eighteen percent of citizens globally are not certain to do this.

Fifty- two percent of citizens globally will buy second hand or used products, thereby, avoiding buying new ones. South Koreans and Malaysians take the lead at 70 percent and 66 percent, respectively. Twenty-three percent of citizens globally is unlikely to do this.

Half (50 percent) of the citizens globally will save energy at home, for example by installing insulation or switching off lights. South Koreans and the Chinese take the lead at 74 percent and 69 percent, respectively. Eleven percent of citizens globally is are not certain to do this.

Nearly half (49 percent) of the citizens globally will recycling materials such as glass, paper and plastic. South Koreans and the Chinese take the lead at 74 percent each. Only a tenth — one out of 10 — of citizens globally is not likely to do this.

Nearly half (49 percent) of the citizens globally will save water at home for example taking shorter showers or not watering one’s garden. South Korean and the Chinese lead at 72 percent and 66 percent, respectively. Sixteen percent of citizens globally is not certain to do this.

On our willingness to change our travel habits, 46 percent of citizens globally is willing to change their daily travel by walking, cycling or using public transport instead of driving a car or motorbike. South Koreans and the Chinese lead at 66 percent and 64 percent, respectively. Twenty-three percent is unlikely to change their daily travel.

Citizens are divided on how likely they are to undertake less comfortable and convenient lifestyle changes. A considerable proportion is saying that they are unlikely to make such changes within the next year.

Forty- one percent of citizens globally are willing to avoid flying and, perhaps, replace some flight with train or bus journeys. However, 33 percent are unlikely to make the changes. The Chinese, Peruvians and Mexicans are likely to avoid flights while Canadians, Australians and Britons are unlikely to do the same.

Forty- one percent of citizens globally say they are likely to eat less meat, or replace the meat in some meals with alternatives such as beans, in the next year. However, a similar proportion — 39 percent — say they are unlikely to do this. The Chinese, Malaysians and Saudi Arabians are likely to eat less meat while Japanese, Americans and Canadians are likely to continue to have meat on their plates.

Nearly half — 49 percent — of citizens globally led by Dutch, Japanese, Australians and Swedish are not willing to eat and drink fewer daily products. Only a third — 35 percent — led by the Chinese, Malaysians and Peruvians are willing to eat and drink fewer daily products and replace this with alternatives like soya milk.

The study How does the world view climate change and Covid19? contains findings from four sample sets: a worldwide 29-country study, conducted from February 21 to March 6 this year using Ipsos Online Panel system, with 20,590 respondents aged 16 to 74; a 12-country sub-set of the 29 countries with 10,504 respondents aged 16 to 74; a 14-country online study, conducted from April 16 to 19 this year using Ipsos Online Panel system, with 28,039 respondents aged 16 to 74; and a 12-country online study, conducted between September 26 and October 10, 2014 via the Ipsos Online Panel system, with 12,135 respondents aged 18 to 65.

Ipsos is the third largest global market research company. It was founded in 1975 and its headquarters based in Paris

A full copy of the study is found here: https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/ documents/2020-04/earth-day2020-ipsos.pdf

The author is the executive director of the Young Environmental Forum. He completed his climate change and development course at the University of East Anglia (United Kingdom) and executive program on sustainability leadership at Yale University( USA ). He can be emailed at ludwig. federigan@gmail.com.