A small majority of the world’s population believes that there is still time to reduce global warming. This is the result of a study conducted by Consultant Mindel in a panel of respondents in Brazil, India, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy, Spain, South Korea, Australia, Thailand, Canada, Ireland, France and Poland. And Germany.
People over the age of fifty-five firmly believed that their own behavior would make a positive difference to the environment. Individuals in Brazil, Spain, Canada, Italy, China and Thailand expressed strong hope that immediate action would have the potential to save the planet.
Japan
On average, 54 percent of those surveyed agreed that there is still time to save the planet. The researchers found that 51 percent of respondents found that their behavior made a positive difference to the environment.
Japan seems very pessimistic. There, only 15 percent of those polled believed their behavior would make a difference yet, while 35 percent believed there was still time to save the planet.
At the same time, consumers of the companies were found to be demanding clarity on the environmental impact of their products so that they could make informed purchasing decisions. Among other things, 47 percent of respondents are in favor of the obligation of labels to indicate the environmental impact of the product.
At the same time, 42 percent said they would like to translate relevant information in a comprehensible way. In addition, 41 percent of companies demanded accreditation, which is required to certify companies’ consistent efforts.
Victims
However, the study also reveals differing views on the responsibility for global warming. “Consumers generally believe that their country is primarily affected by climate change,” the researchers point out. “On average, 44 percent say their country is affected by climate change. In contrast, only 33 percent believed their country had contributed to climate change. ”
“That confidence is strong in Italy, where only 20 percent believe in contributing to climate change. The lowest scores are in Brazil (21 percent), South Korea (24 percent) and Spain (29 percent). At the other end of the spectrum are the United Kingdom (44 percent) and Germany. (45 percent), the United States (46 percent) and Canada (51 percent). ”
“The good news is that in most countries, a small majority believe that humanity still has a chance to save the planet,” said Richard Cobb, a researcher at Mindell. “It’s closely related to the perception that consumer behavior can make a difference.”
“At the same time, it should be noted that many consumers are looking for solutions that make their lives easier, and those actions could put the planet at greater risk.”
“As global temperatures rise, more and more people are planning to install air conditioning,” Kobe explains. However, this technology leads to increased carbon dioxide emissions. This shows that global warming is creating a vicious circle and promoting measures that exacerbate the problem. ”(LP)
