Wealthy Countries Less Concerned about Climate Change: Global Poll

26 November 2015 – Global public concern about climate change has declined over the past six years, especially in industrialized countries, and support for national governments leading on ambitious climate targets at next month’s Paris Climate Conference is down from levels measured prior to the 2009 Copenhagen Summit.
Less than half (48%) of citizens living in industrialized countries (OECD members) now rate climate as a “very serious” problem, down from 63 per cent in 2009. Interestingly, a higher percentage of citizens in non-OECD countries (54%) now rate climate as a “very serious” problem.
Only 8 per cent of citizens across 21 countries polled want their government to oppose any climate deal being reached in Paris. An average of 43 per cent want their government to play a leadership role in setting ambitious targets, while another 40 per cent want their government to take a more moderate approach and support only gradual action.
These are the major climate findings from GlobeScan’s latest 21-country poll, conducted face-to-face or by telephone with a random sample of about 1,000 citizens in each country mainly during January and February 2015, and released here for the first time. The BBC had asked GlobeScan what their long-term polling suggests about public opinion on climate negotiations.
Compared to results of a similar question asked six years ago prior to the Copenhagen Climate Summit, there is less support today for ambitious climate leadership by governments. Support for leadership on ambitious targets has declined in eight countries and only increased in three. Canada, France, Spain, and the UK are the only four countries that today have majorities wanting their government’s leadership on ambitious targets in Paris. Countries with majorities or pluralities favouring a more moderate approach and only gradual action include Mexico, Indonesia, Germany, and China.
The poll findings do suggest that citizens have become significantly more informed about climate change over the past fifteen years, however. Almost twice as many today blame human-caused climate change or rising CO2 levels for extreme weather events, compared to a GlobeScan poll in January 2000. More than seven in ten people now point to human factors, including pollution and other causes, as the reason for extreme weather events when asked without prompting.
Doug Miller, GlobeScan Chairman, says: “Our polling suggests a less supportive public opinion context for a Paris deal this year compared to stronger support that existed prior to the failed Copenhagen Climate Summit in December 2009. Real leadership and effective diplomacy will be needed for success in Paris.”

Research Methodology

A total of 20,043 citizens across some 20 countries were interviewed by telephone or face-to-face between December 2014 and May 2015. Polling was conducted by GlobeScan and its research partners in each country. In certain developing countries, the sample was limited to major urban areas. Some questions were asked to half-samples. The margin of error per country ranges from +/- 3.5 to 6 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
 
For full methodology, question wording, and detailed results, please see the drop-down links at the bottom of this article.

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