[PRESS RELEASE] - People and Climate Change

The findings from the study reveal:

• Majority of Malaysians think that we need to do more against climate change and the government has a plan for it.
• While 7 out of Malaysians agree that we need to act now to combat climate change, fewer now believe in its urgency.
• Malaysians are more concerned about economy stability over climate and energy policies compared to the global average.

Evelyn Tan, Interim Country Director, Ipsos Malaysia mentions:  

"Our latest survey reveals that 7 out of 10 Malaysians agree that urgent action is needed to combat climate change, a sentiment shared by other Southeast Asian countries. Furthermore, 6 out of 10 Malaysians also agrees that the government have a clear plan to fight climate change.

However, there is a declining trend, both globally and in Malaysia, in the number of people who believe urgent action is needed. It is likely that the rising cost of living in recent years, alongside other factors, has impacted people’s sense of individual responsibility. At the same time, Malaysians perceive the climate change initiative as potentially detrimental to the economy and energy supply, fearing that transitioning to renewable energy may cause economic challenges and energy disruption. This trend suggests that while there is an agreement on the need for climate change, there are concerns about the associated economic costs.

The Malaysian government has implemented various initiatives to address climate change, including the Malaysia Renewable Energy Roadmap (MyRER) and the Low Carbon Mobility Blueprint, which aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable transportation, and these efforts are seen by the Malaysians. Climate change initiative is a long-term effort, so it is important to secure long-term support from Malaysians to achieve these goals and create a more sustainable future."