Over the last few years there has been a slow but steady increase in people taking action to reduce the amount of plastic waste in their daily lives. In most of the countries that produce the highest amount of plastic waste, including the USA, India, China, Brazil, Indonesia, Germany, the UK, Mexico, and Japan, people are now more likely than before the pandemic to say they frequently avoid plastic items that will only be used once. Recycling and people using their … “Insight of the Week: Global Consumer Actions to Reduce Plastic Waste Surpass Pre-pandemic Levels”
With increased pressure from regulators and stakeholders, two-thirds of Corporate Affairs professionals are now worried about being accused of “greenwashing” or making exaggerated environmental claims, up from just over half in 2022. This sharp increase in concern suggests that Corporate Affairs professionals are taking the consequences of greenwashing more seriously. New regulations, increased awareness of environmental issues, and the threat of investor pressure may lead many companies to become more cautious in their communications to avoid reputational damage and other repercussions of making … “Insight of the Week: Fear of Greenwashing Accusations Rises Among Corporate Affairs Professionals”
People in Brazil are overwhelmingly concerned about deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, with nearly three-quarters expressing serious concern while 22 percent say the situation is “somewhat serious.” Women, those with low or average incomes, and people living in rural areas are most concerned. Cattle ranching, agriculture, and legal and illegal timber logging are significant drivers of the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.1 Despite efforts by the new government in Brazil to change course, deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest continues to increase.2 … “Insight of the Week: 74% of Brazilians Say Deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest Is a “Very Serious” Issue”
As South Africans continue to experience frequent power outages, over three-quarters of South Africans (77%) believe the use of renewable energy will probably or definitely become widespread in the next decade. The energy crisis in South Africa has resulted from aging power infrastructure, mismanagement of the state-owned electricity company, and a lack of investment in new power generation capacity. However, most South Africans are optimistic that the country can soon turn to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. … “Insight of the Week: 77% of South Africans Believe Renewable Energy Use Will Be More Common in the Next Decade”
As India overtakes China as the world’s most populous country, Indians remain mostly optimistic about the quality of life that their children and grandchildren can expect in the future. More than three-quarters of people in India agree that future generations will have a higher quality of life than we do today, with Millennials expressing the most optimism. However, while Millennial Indians have grown up witnessing improvements in many areas that perhaps have inspired a more positive outlook, younger Indians that are … “Insight of the Week: Millennials in India Are Most Enthusiastic about Quality of Life for Future Generations”
Four in ten US consumers support companies and brands speaking out in favor of LGBTQ+ rights, while 14 percent say they should actively oppose. Another 35 percent of American consumers prefer companies to stay quiet and neutral on the issue, with older people being significantly more likely to prefer impartiality while younger people expect companies to take sides. As shown by current controversies, these findings suggest that the American public remains divided over the role that they expect companies and … “Insight of the Week: Four in Ten Americans Say Companies Should Advocate for LGBTQ+ Rights”
Across 11 countries surveyed, the public sees environmental NGOs as the strongest performers when it comes to protecting nature and wildlife. Indigenous Peoples are also considered to be performing better than most other actors despite being held the least responsible. In contrast, large companies and governments are perceived to be doing the worst while also being seen as having the most responsibility for protecting nature. *“Very good” and “Good” minus “Poor” and “Very poor” **Includes Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, … “Insight of the Week: Environmental NGOs and Indigenous Peoples Are Seen as Strongest Performers on Protecting Nature”
Experts say that engaging and collaborating with stakeholders continues to be the main driver for recognized NGO leadership in sustainable development. Innovation and knowledge as well as the scale and reach of initiatives are also seen by experts as important characteristics of NGO sustainability leadership, followed by engaging in activism and advocacy, good communication and reporting, and demonstrating tangible results. Source: GlobeScan/SustainAbility Survey of over 700 experts representing business, government, NGOs, and academia across 73 countries
In the wake of the pandemic, people have become increasingly keen on improving their own health and wellbeing, with an increase in the global proportion who “strongly agree” that they are doing this (from 37% in 2019 to 42% in 2022). There have been large increases in the number of people saying they are trying to improve their health in several major markets including Brazil, China, India, Japan, USA, and UK. *For consistent tracking, this chart includes Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, … “Insight of the Week: People around the World Are Increasingly Focused on Improving Their Health and Wellbeing”
Across the 31 countries surveyed, nearly half of people (47%) at least somewhat agree that environmental problems are negatively affecting their health. People in the Global South are experiencing the highest rates of negative health impacts from environmental issues, particularly in Egypt and India where air pollution is often severe in urban areas. Globally, people living in cities and those under 30 years old are particularly likely to “strongly agree” that their health has been negatively affected by environmental issues. … “Insight of the Week: People in Egypt and India Report Highest Rates of Negative Health Impacts from Environmental Issues”