The biggest-ever world survey on climate change provides fascinating insights into the public's thinking as leaders grapple with an urgent mission to limit global warming to 1.5° or less.
The headline result of last week's Peoples' Climate Vote, a pillar of the UN Development Programme's (UNDP) Mission 1.5 campaign: roughly two-thirds of humanity, 64 per cent, now consider climate change to be a global emergency.
University of Oxford polling experts processed the data obtained in a ground-breaking new way. Mobile game app players in 50 countries (together they constitute 56 per cent of the world's population) were invited through an in-game advertisement to participate in the survey, itself presented in the form of a game.
Harnessing the massive reach of 4,000 mobile game apps in 17 languages resulted in a huge, unique and random sample of people of all genders, ages, and educational backgrounds, deciding between 18 climate-related policies.
Over three months last year, more than 1.2 million people in high-, middle- and low-income countries took part. Some 550,000 teens — 14 to 18 years old — made their voices heard this way.
Such perspectives are needed more than ever as many countries are developing new national climate pledges — known as Nationally Determined Contributions — under the Paris Agreement. Popular support for policies is key to raising the levels of national climate ambition.
Respondents were asked for their thoughts on six areas: economy, energy, transport, food and farms, nature and protecting people.
Of the 18 climate policies ' options presented, these are the most popular: conservation of forests and land (54 per cent global public support); solar, wind and renewable power (53 per cent); climate-friendly farming techniques (52 per cent); and investing more in green businesses and jobs (50 per cent).
The strong support for conservation of forests is an endorsement of nature-based solutions to slow down global warming and as espoused by the Campaign for Nature (CFN) to protect at least 30 per cent of the planet's land and ocean by 2030. This received a big boost last month with US President Joe Biden's executive order to conserve nearly a third of its land and ocean by 2030.
On climate as an emergency question, people under 18 years old were most likely to feel that way: almost 70 per cent.
Other age groups were not far behind: 65 per cent among 18-35-year-olds; 66 per cent among 36-59-year-olds, and 58 per cent among those over 60.
The highest level of support for climate action — 74 per cent — was found among people in small island developing states, followed by 72 per cent of people in high-income countries, 62 per cent in middle-income countries, and in least-developed countries, 58 per cent, which is still a solid majority.
The view that climate change is a global emergency is strongest in western Europe and North America (72 per cent), lowest in sub-Saharan Africa (61 per cent).
In eight of the 10 surveyed countries with the highest emissions from the power sector, a majority favoured more use of renewable energy.
In four of five countries with the highest emissions from land-use change, most supported conserving forests and land. Nine out of 10 countries with the most urbanised population wanted a shift to cleaner modes of transportation, like electric cars and buses or bicycles.
There was a very high recognition of climate emergency among those who had attended university or college in all countries from low-income countries, like Bhutan (82 per cent) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (82 per cent), to wealthy countries like France (87 per cent) and Japan (82 per cent).
The publication of the survey comes as many countries are preparing for the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland in November.
UNDP administrator Achim Steiner said: "The survey brings the voice of the people to the forefront of the climate debate. It signals ways in which countries can move forward with public support as we work together to tackle this enormous challenge."
Taking the temperature of the public in this authoritative and game-changing new way marks an important step in the effort to halt the warming of our planet. Hopefully, the next survey will canvas views in additional countries, including China and Malaysia.
The writer is chairman of Atri Advisory and ambassador and science adviser to the CFN
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times
