As national governments and others prepare to come together in Glasgow, Scotland, for the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference (COP26), a new global poll conducted for the BBC World Service shows that support for national governments leading on ambitious climate targets at next month’s summit has increased substantially from levels measured prior to the 2015 Paris Summit.
The poll of 31 countries and territories was conducted by GlobeScan in June and July 2021. In total, more than 30,000 people around the world were surveyed about their attitudes toward climate change. Key findings include the following:
- An average of 56 percent of people across 31 countries and territories polled want their government to play a leadership role in setting ambitious targets, while another 36 percent want their government to take a more moderate approach and support only gradual action. Only 8 percent of people want their government to oppose any climate deal or are uncertain about which approach to take.
- In 18 countries polled, the expectation of government to play a leadership role has grown from 43 percent ahead of the Paris summit in 2015 to 58 percent before the Glasgow summit in 2021.
- Support for leadership on ambitious targets has grown substantially in 13 out of 18 countries tracked, including the three largest emitting countries China, India, and the USA.
- Sixty-one percent of respondents say governments hold “a great deal” of responsibility to address climate change, while 57 percent say the same about companies. Just over half (54%) think international bodies like the UN hold “a great deal” of responsibility, while only around one-third of respondents (36%) believe that individuals hold the same level of responsibility.
- Four in ten of respondents under the age of 30 (41%) say individuals hold a “great deal” of responsibility to address climate change, compared to one-third of respondents over 30 (34%).
- Concern about climate change is at its highest point recorded since GlobeScan first started tracking this metric. Across 17 countries consistently tracked since 1998, 63 percent now believe climate change is a “very serious” issue.
- Belief that recent weather patterns are highly unusual, and alarming has increased among 15 countries consistently tracked since 2000; 36 percent now say the weather is unusual and alarming compared to 25 percent in 2015. Only around one-quarter (24%) now say that extreme weather patterns are part of a natural pattern compared to 34 percent in 2015.
- Proportions saying weather patterns are highly unusual and alarming have increased substantially in France (50% in 2021, up from 26% in 2015) and the UK (32% in 2021, up from 13% in 2015), but also in the largest emitting countries of China (23% in 2021, up from 18% in 2015), India (40% in 2021, up from 27% in 2015), and the USA (35% in 2021, up from 28% in 2015).
Results show that ahead of COP26 in Glasgow a majority (56%) want their government to play a leadership role in setting ambitious targets, while another one-third (36%) want their government to take a more moderate approach and support only gradual action. Fewer than one in ten (8%) across the 31 countries and territories polled want their government to oppose any climate deal being reached in Glasgow or say that they are uncertain about the most appropriate action.
People in Colombia (74%), Kenya (72%), Portugal (71%), Italy (70%), and Peru (70%) are the most enthusiastic about having their governments take on a leadership role in setting ambitious targets to address climate change as quickly as possible, whereas people in Thailand (29%), Hong Kong (32%), Singapore (38%), and Russia (38%) are the least likely to favor this approach. Americans and Australians are the most likely to oppose their government agreeing to any deal to address climate change, although fewer than one in ten in each country (9%) hold this position.
Across the same 18 countries tracked, expectations for governments to play a leadership role in addressing climate change has grown from 43 percent in 2015 ahead of the Paris summit to 58 percent in 2021 before COP26 in Glasgow. Support for governments to play a leadership role has grown substantially in 13 out of the 18 countries tracked, including the three largest emitting countries China, India, and the USA. Only in Russia do results show a decrease in support for government leadership.
Governments are also held the most responsible to address climate change by people across the 31 countries surveyed, but with companies following closely behind. Sixty-one percent of respondents say governments hold “a great deal” of responsibility, while 57 percent say the same about companies. Just over half (54%) think international bodies like the UN hold “a great deal” of responsibility. Only around one-third of respondents (35%) believe that individuals hold the same level of responsibility, but young people are significantly more likely than those who are older to hold people like themselves greatly responsible. Four in ten of respondents under the age of 30 (41%) say individuals hold a “great deal” of responsibility to address climate change, compared to one-third of respondents over 30 (34%).
Russians stand out as having the highest expectations of their government to have “a great deal” of responsibility to address climate change (85%), followed by people in Colombia (80%), Kenya (78%), Thailand (76%), and Vietnam (76%). People in Russia (77%), Kenya (76%), Vietnam (73%), and Colombia (69%) are also the most prone to say that international bodies like the UN have a “a great deal” of responsibility. Respondents in Latin America are instead the most likely to say that companies have “a great deal” of responsibility, including Colombia (83%), Mexico (75%), Argentina (73%), and Peru (71%). Colombians (72%), Peruvians (67%), Mexicans (65%), and Kenyans (64%) are also the most likely to hold people like themselves “a great deal” responsible for addressing climate change. In contrast, very few people in Japan (6%), Hong Kong (12%), China (13%), or Portugal (14%) say that individuals are greatly responsible.
Results of the global poll show that concern about climate change is at its highest point recorded since GlobeScan first asked about concern about climate change. Across 17 countries consistently tracked since 1998, 63 percent now believe that climate change is a “very serious” issue. Belief that recent weather patterns are highly unusual, and alarming has also increased, while fewer think that it is part of a natural pattern. Proportions saying weather patterns have become highly unusual and alarming have grown in many countries, including largest emitting countries China, India, and the USA, and have increased very substantially in France and the UK.
For more information, please contact:
- Stacy Rowland, GlobeScan: stacy.rowland@globescan.com, +1 416-992-2705
About the BBC World Service
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Methodology
Questionnaire Wording
Q. In November 2021, countries from around the world, including [COUNTRY], will meet in Glasgow, Scotland at the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) to discuss how they can work together to reduce emissions of gases that cause climate change. Which of the following do you think should be [COUNTRY’s] strategy at this meeting? [(2015 question) In December 2015, countries from around the world, including [COUNTRY], will meet in Paris to discuss how they can work together to reduce emissions of gases that cause climate change.]
Which of the following do you think should be [COUNTRY’s] strategy at this meeting?
01 – Play a leadership role in setting ambitious targets to address climate change as quickly as possible.
02 – Take a more moderate approach and support only gradual action to address climate change.
03 – Do not agree to any international agreement that addresses climate change.
99 – Don’t know
Q. How much do you hold each of the following responsible to address climate change? (01 = A great deal; 02 = Some; 03 = A little; 04 = Not at all)
a. The Government
b. Companies
c. People like you
d. International bodies like the United Nations
Q. In the past few years [COUNTRY] has experienced some extreme weather patterns, including violent storms, flooding, and drought causing damage and loss of life. Do you see these weather-related events as…?
01 – Part of a natural pattern
02 – Unusual and slightly worrisome
03 – Highly unusual and alarming
04 – Not happening, none of above
99 – Don’t know
Q. For each of the following possible global problems, please indicate if you see it as a very serious, somewhat serious, not very serious or not at all serious problem.
a. Climate change or global warming
Charts
