With the COP26 climate summit under way in Glasgow this week, a new global poll conducted for the BBC World Service shows increased public support for a carbon tax on the types of energy that most cause climate change, such as coal and oil/petrol, to encourage individuals and businesses to use less of these.
The poll of 31 countries and territories was conducted by GlobeScan in June and July 2021. In total, more than 30,000 people were surveyed about their attitudes toward addressing climate change through a carbon tax. Key findings include the following:
- An average of 62 percent of people globally are in favour of a carbon tax while one-third (33%) are opposed to raising taxes to encourage decreased use.
- In 28 of the 31 countries and territories polled, a majority of people support raising taxes on climate change-causing types of energy. Only in Germany (51% opposed) and Saudi Arabia (50% opposed) are half or more respondents opposed to a carbon tax.
- Support for a carbon tax has increased from 52 percent in 2015 to 62 percent in 2021, after holding steady between 2007 and 2015, across the same 17 countries tracked since 2007.
- Support for a carbon tax has grown substantially (more than 5 percentage points) in ten out of 16 countries tracked, including large emitters China (up from 77% in 2015 to 83% in 2021) and the USA (up from 39% in 2015 to 56% in 2021). People in China are the most in favour out of all countries surveyed.
People in China (83% in favour), Vietnam (80% in favour), and Indonesia (78% in favour) are the most supportive of raising taxes on climate change-causing energy, while those in Germany (51% opposed) and Saudi Arabia (50% opposed) are the most strongly opposed. However, the latter two are the only countries surveyed where at least half of people say they do not want to see increased taxes on these types of energy – in all other countries surveyed, except for Russia where one in ten say they are unsure, majorities are in favour.
Across the same 17 countries tracked over the last 14 years, support for a carbon tax has grown from 52 percent in 2015 ahead of the COP21 Paris summit to 62 percent in 2021. In previous years, support remained steady between 2007 and 2015. Support has grown substantially (more than 5 percentage points) compared to six years ago in ten of 16 countries tracked, including large emitters China (up from 77% in 2015 to 83% in 2021) and the USA (up from 39% in 2015 to 56% in 2021). Only in France, where the yellow vest movement successfully protested higher fuel taxes, do results show a substantial decrease in support for an increased carbon tax (down from 59% in 2015 to 53% in 2021).
Reflecting the disproportionate economic hardship that may come with increased taxes on climate change-causing types of energy, people with lower levels of income and education tend to be significantly less supportive at the global level. Those in rural areas also tend to be much less supportive than those in urban areas. Nevertheless, majorities of people in all income and education categories, and those living in rural as well as urban areas, express support for an increased carbon tax.
Although there are no differences at the global level, in some industrialised countries people under the age of 30 are significantly more likely to be in favour of a carbon tax than those over 30. The largest gap is in Australia where 65 percent of those under 30 support a tax increase compared to only 47 percent of those over 30. Other countries with large differences in support for increased taxes by age group are France (65% under 30 vs 50% of 30+), Germany (58% under 30 vs 42% of 30+), the Netherlands (62% under 30 vs 49% of 30+), the UK (67% under 30 vs 56% of 30+), and the USA (65% under 30 vs 54% of 30+).
For more information, please contact:
- Stacy Rowland, GlobeScan: stacy.rowland@globescan.com, +1 416-992-2705
About the BBC World Service
BBC World Service delivers news content around the world in English and 41 other language services, on radio, TV and digital. BBC World Service reaches a weekly audience of 351m. As part of BBC World Service, BBC Learning English teaches English to global audiences. BBC News attracts a weekly global audience of 438m people to its international services including BBC World Service, BBC World News television channel and bbc.com/news. For more information, visit www.bbc.com/worldservice
Methodology
Questionnaire Wording
Q. Would you favour or oppose raising taxes on the types of energy, such as coal and oil/petrol, that most cause climate change in order to encourage individuals and businesses to use less of these? Would you…
01 Strongly favour
02 Somewhat favour
03 Somewhat oppose
04 Strongly oppose
99 Don’t know
Charts
