A survey in 10 countries shows that very few respondents are willing to change their lifestyle to help tackle climate change.
The poll of 10 countries included Germany, the US, UK, France and other nations. According to its results, citizens in these countries are worried about the climate crisis, but most are certain they are already making the necessary efforts to save the planet.
Moreover, they believe they are doing more to preserve the environment even than their own governments. And therefore, most are unwilling to make changes to their lifestyles.
The survey was carried out in late September 2021, and was published in time for the COP26 summit in Glasgow, Scotland, to illustrate to the world leaders gathered at the conference two important issues.
One, according to Emmanuel Rivière, director of international polling at Kantar Public, is that the world’s governments need to ‘measure up to people’s expectations’.
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And the other, Rivière pointed out, is that people are no longer in need of persuasion regarding the reality of climate change but rather of the available solutions and how responsibility can be shared fairly.
The survey found over half of all respondents to see the climate crisis as the most critical challenge society is facing.
And 74% of the people surveyed said they are proud of their current personal efforts to preserve the planet, but roughly the same number of respondents would also accept stricter climate-related rules and regulations.
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36% of respondents think of themselves as ‘highly committed’ to saving the environment, whereas only 19% felt the same could be said about their local governments.
However, when asked about doing more themselves, a high percentage of people were reluctant on the matter and stated a range of different reasons for their response.
For example, some 69% believe they do not have the resources to take more action, while 39% are confident that individual efforts will not have an impact on climate change.
