How do people around the world view climate change?
As climate change continues to drive a rise in record-breaking heat and more frequent and intense extreme weather events, people around the world are becoming increasingly concerned.
According to Peoples’ Climate Vote 2024, the world’s largest standalone public opinion survey on climate change, people everywhere are experiencing climate change in increasingly disruptive ways.
The results of the survey, which statistically represent 87 percent of the world’s population, show that climate change is on people’s minds everywhere. Globally, 56 percent said they were thinking about it daily or weekly.
Additionally, 53 percent of people worldwide are more worried about climate change now than they were a year earlier. This is most likely linked to the increasing number of climate change impacts that people hear about or have experienced themselves. More than two out of five people (43 percent) think extreme weather events were worse this year than last. Nearly eight in 10 people (78 percent) want more protection for people at risk from extreme weather.
Strikingly, almost two thirds (63 percent) are starting to take climate change impacts into consideration when making decisions like where to live or work and what to buy. A third of people (33 percent) said climate change is affecting their big life decisions a lot.
How do people think leaders should respond to the climate crisis?
Four out of five people around the world (80 percent) want more climate action from their country. They also seek global unity in responding to the crisis, with 86 percent agreeing that their countries should set aside geopolitical differences, such as those regarding trade and security, and work together on climate change.
There is a clear expectation that governments need to lead and strengthen their commitments to address climate change, with a resounding 89 percent of people wanting to see more climate action from their governments. At the same time, only 39 percent of people think big businesses are doing well in addressing climate change.
When asked about different measures to respond to the climate crisis, 81 percent of people support the protection and restoration of nature, highlighting the importance of biodiversity and healthy ecosystems in limiting climate change. Climate education is another measure that received a lot of public support, with 80 percent of people backing the role of schools in increasing awareness.
Most people agree that business-as-usual is no longer an option to keep the world on a safe path. Worldwide, 72 percent support a quick transition away from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy. Even in the world’s biggest producers of fossil fuels, the majority of people support a quick transition away from coal, oil and gas.
Last but not least, four in five people (79 percent) expressed support for climate justice, agreeing that rich countries should increase the help given to poorer countries to address climate change and its impacts.