A recent global survey conducted by Ipsos across 30 nations looked into public attitudes regarding responsibility for combatting climate change. New Zealand was included in the survey.
57 percent of New Zealanders say that if their national government does not act now to combat climate change, it will be failing its citizens. But only 37% believe the government has a clear plan in place. And asked whether “tackling climate change should be a priority for government in the economic recovery from Covid-19”, 36% of NZers agreed, while 36% disagreed, with the balance on the fence.
60 percent say if businesses do not act now to combat climate change, then they are failing their employees and customers. Some of our key regional enterprises seem to get the message, as BayBuzz has reported recently here regarding Napier Port and here regarding Silver Fern Farms.
62 percent say that if individuals do not act now to combat climate change, they will be failing future generations. As high as this figure is, it placed NZ near the bottom of the global scorecard – the global average was 72%.
Within our population, the biggest differences in these expectations of accountability for action related to age:
- 67 percent of NZers age 10-34 years say that if their national government does not act now to combat climate change, it will be failing its citizens, compared to 50% of those age 65+.
- 64 percent of NZers age 10-34 years say if businesses do not act now to combat climate change, then they are failing their employees and customers, compared to 58% of those age 65+.
- 68% percent of NZers age 10-34 years say that if individuals do not act now to combat climate change, they will be failing future generations, compared to 54% of those age 65+.
Education level is also a factor. For example, 69% of NZers with Level 8-10 education say if businesses do not act now to combat climate change, then they are failing their employees and customers, compared to 56% of those with Level 3 or less.
Finally, regarding individual action, the survey asked what personal actions individuals were prepared to take. Here are the NZ results (compared to global averages).
Recognising the difficulties with asking questions like these across cultures and languages, we do seem less likely to change behaviour than our fellow global citizens. Where to you rank on these personal actions?