Climate Change Survey
To feed into our report "Tipping Point or Turning Point?" we commissioned new research on public attitudes to climate change to see how convinced the public are about the issue, its causes and its possible solutions.
To feed into our report "Tipping Point or Turning Point?" we commissioned new research on public attitudes to climate change to see how convinced the public are about the issue, its causes and its possible solutions. Here we present some key topline figures with full details and analysis available in the main report.
Topline Results
- Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 2031 adults aged 16+
- Interviews were conducted face to face, in home, on 14-20 June 2007
- Results are based on all respondents unless otherwise stated
- Data are weighted to the known population profile
- An '*' indicates a finding of less than 0.5%, but greater than zero
- Where percentages do not add up to exactly 100% this may be due to computer rounding, the exclusion of "don't knows" or to multiple answers
Q1 I am going to read out a number of statements about climate change. For each one, I would like you to tell me if you agree or disagree
| Strongly agree | Tend to agree | Neither agree nor disagree | Tend to disagree | Strongly disagree | Undecided / Don't know | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | % | % | % | |
| Human activity does not have significant effect on the climate | 4 | 14 | 9 | 31 | 38 | 5 |
| Climate change is too complex and uncertain for scientists to make useful forecasts | 8 | 32 | 15 | 25 | 13 | 7 |
| Many leading experts still question if human activity is contributing to climate change | 11 | 45 | 13 | 14 | 8 | 9 |
| Nothing I can do personally could avert climate change | 7 | 19 | 8 | 32 | 30 | 5 |
| Ultimately, I am confident that the world community can find a solution to the problems posed by climate change | 8 | 38 | 15 | 21 | 11 | 7 |
Q2 Which of the actions on this list, if any, do you think will do the most to help reduce climate change?
| % | |
|---|---|
| Recycling | 40 |
| Developing cleaner engines for cars | 34 |
| Avoiding creating waste in the first place | 22 |
| Making fewer car journeys | 17 |
| Using less electricity | 16 |
| Taking fewer foreign holidays | 11 |
| Using public transport | 10 |
| Walking or cycling | 10 |
| Buying locally-grown food | 7 |
| Using water sparingly | 4 |
| Reusing bottles/containers | 4 |
| People having fewer children | 4 |
| Buying organic produce | 1 |
| None of these | 2 |
| Don't know | 3 |
Q3 How strongly do you agree or disagree that ...?
| Strongly agree | Tend to agree | Neither agree nor disagree | Tend to disagree | Strongly disagree | Undecided / Don't know | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | % | % | % | |
| ... I would do more to try to stop climate change if other people did more, too | 14 | 39 | 13 | 21 | 12 | 2 |
| ...the government should take the lead in combating climate change, even if it means using the law to change people's behaviour | 27 | 43 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 2 |
Q4 Which, if any, of the following do you think will have the most impact on you personally if climate change were successfully tackled ...?
| % | |
|---|---|
| A cleaner atmosphere | 58 |
| Less severe weather | 30 |
| Slower spread of disease | 15 |
| Lower insurance premiums | 5 |
| Greater stability and security for my children | 31 |
| Not having to pay for the new infrastructure needed to cope with climate change (e.g. coastal flood defences) | 11 |
| Don't have to suffer the discomfort of high temperatures | 9 |
| Lower increase in summer smog and air pollution | 20 |
| Less likelihood of water shortages | 17 |
| Less likelihood of being flooded | 12 |
| Greater variety / quality of wildlife or countryside | 22 |
| Other | * |
| Don't know | 2 |
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