This presentation examines global public opinion about climate change. Using the Pew Research Center’s spring 2015 Global Attitudes survey, issues such as concern about climate change and support for action on climate change are addressed. It is based on 45,435 face-to-face and telephone interviews in 40 countries with adults 18 and older conducted from March 25 to May 27, 2015.
Environmental Science - Nuclear Hazards and Us.pptx
Pew Research Center 2015 Climate Change Presentation
1. Global Concern about Climate Change
Support for Limiting Emissions
Partisan Divisions Suggest Challenges Remain
2. November 5, 2015 2
Pew Research Center
• Established 1996
• Funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts
• Non-profit, non-partisan fact tank in Washington
• Survey topics: U.S. domestic politics and economic conditions, values, U.S.
image abroad, global views toward major powers, terrorism, democracy,
country conditions, aging, economy
• Since 2002, we have surveyed in 85 countries, including 40 nations in 2015
• www.pewresearch.org
www.pewresearch.org
3. November 5, 2015 3www.pewresearch.org
Methodology
• Surveys conducted across 40 countries from March 25 to May 27, 2015,
totaling 45,435 respondents
• Based on nationally representative telephone and face-to-face
interviews with adults 18 and older conducted under the direction of
Princeton Survey Research Associates International
• The margin of sampling error for the complete set of weighted data is
±2.8% - ±4.3%
5. Brazilians Most Concerned about Climate Change
Chinese Least Worried
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 5
Global climate change is a very serious problem
6. Latin Americans, Sub-Saharan Africans More Troubled by
Climate Change than People in Other Regions
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 6
Note: Russia and Ukraine not included in Europe median. Asia-Pacific median includes China.
Regional medians
7. Drought Tops Climate Change Concerns across Regions
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 7
Note: Russia and Ukraine not included in Europe median.
Regional medians of most concerning effects of global climate change
8. Global Public Support for Both Personal and Policy Changes
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 8
Global medians on climate change solutions
9. Top Polluters Less Concerned about Climate Change
But Their Publics Still Willing to Limit Greenhouse Gas Emissions
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 9
Note: Data shown for top six CO2 emitting nations based on 2011 emissions data from the World Bank. Median is calculated from all 40 nations surveyed.
18%
45
76
33
45
55
54
71%
69
70
65
83
87
78
China
U.S.
India
Russia
Japan
Germany
GLOBAL MEDIAN
Climate change is a very serious problem
Support limiting greenhouse gas emissions as part of an int'l agreement
11. Intensity of Climate Change Concern Varies Globally
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 11
Global climate change is a very serious problem
12. The Most and Least Concerned Nations
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 12
Global climate change is a very serious problem
86%
79
77
76
76
75
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Chile
India
Uganda
Peru
33%
29
29
24
19
18
Russia
Ukraine
Pakistan
Israel
Poland
China
Least Concern
Greatest Concern
13. Some Publics Less Worried than Five Years Ago, Others More
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 13
Global climate change is a very serious problem
Note: Only statistically significant differences shown.
2010 2015 Change
% %
Turkey 74 37 -37
China 41 18 -23
South Korea 68 48 -20
Japan 58 45 -13
Poland 31 19 -12
Russia 43 33 -10
Argentina 66 59 -7
Indonesia 47 41 -6
Pakistan 22 29 +7
U.S. 37 45 +8
France 46 56 +10
Nigeria 43 61 +18
14. Concern about Personal Toll of Climate
Change Greatest in Latin America
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 14
Very concerned global climate change will harm me personally
15. Developing Nations Most Worried About Personal Impact
Advanced Nations Among Least Concerned
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 15
Very concerned global climate change will harm me personally
88%
78
77
75
73
69
Uganda
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Philippines
Ghana
India
19%
18
18
15
15
15
UK
Germany
Australia
Poland
Israel
China
Least Personal Concern
Greatest Personal Concern
16. BROAD SUPPORT FOR ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
November 5, 2015 16www.pewresearch.org
17. Europeans Most Supportive of Limiting Greenhouse Gas Emissions
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 17
Do you __ our country limiting greenhouse gas emissions as part of an international agreement?
Note: Russia and Ukraine not included in Europe median. Global median is calculated from all 40 nations surveyed.
13%
11
10
13
17
24
12
87%
83
77
76
73
69
78
SupportOppose
Europe
Latin America
Africa
Asia/Pacific
Middle East
GLOBAL MEDIAN
U.S.
18. Among Many Top Polluters, the Young are the Strongest
Supporters of Limiting Emissions
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 18
Support limiting country’s greenhouse gas emissions as part of an international agreement
Note: All differences shown are statistically significant.
18-29 30-49 50+
Youngest-
oldest gap
% % %
U.S. 85 69 60 +25
Poland 71 65 57 +14
France 95 85 84 +11
India 74 70 64 +10
Australia 84 83 75 +9
19. Majority Global Support for Rich Countries Doing More
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 19
Should rich countries do more to address climate change than developing countries
OR should developing countries do just as much as rich countries?
Note: Russia and Ukraine not included in Europe median. Global median is calculated from all 40 nations surveyed.
29%
41
44
35
40
50
38
62%
56
51
50
42
40
54
Rich countries should do more
Developing countries
should do just as much
Middle East
Europe
Latin America
Africa
Asia/Pacific
GLOBAL MEDIAN
U.S.
20. Generational Divide on Who Should Do More to Address Climate Change
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 20
Rich countries should do more to address climate change than developing countries
Note: All differences shown are statistically significant.
18-29 30-49 50+
Youngest-
oldest gap
% % %
U.S. 51 42 34 +17
Japan 45 35 31 +14
Australia 55 55 45 +10
France 44 51 60 -16
Germany 47 56 65 -18
21. Majorities in Most Regions Believe Major Lifestyle Changes Necessary
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 21
Do you think people will have to make major changes in the way they live to reduce the effects of climate change
OR can technology solve the problem without major changes?
13%
21
23
21
23
34
22
83%
73
66
65
61
Make major lifestyle changes
Technology
can solve
Latin America
Europe
U.S.
Africa
Middle East
GLOBAL MEDIAN
Asia/Pacific
48
67
Note: Russia and Ukraine not included in Europe median. Global median is calculated from all 40 nations surveyed.
22. Women, More than Men, Say Personal Changes
Necessary to Combat Global Warming
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 22
To reduce the effects of global climate change people will have to make major changes in the way they live
Note: All differences shown are statistically significant.
Women Men Diff
% %
U.S. 75 57 +18
Canada 81 66 +15
UK 74 60 +14
Australia 71 57 +14
Spain 83 71 +12
Germany 81 70 +11
South Korea 89 78 +11
Poland 53 44 +9
Ukraine 53 44 +9
France 86 80 +6
23. CLIMATE CHANGE IS DIVISIVE WITHIN COUNTRIES
November 5, 2015 23www.pewresearch.org
24. In Europe, U.S.: Deep Ideological Divide on Climate Change Concern
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 24
Note: Statistically significant differences in bold.
Global climate change is a very serious
problem
Global climate change is harming
people now
Left Right
Left-Right
Diff Left Right
Left-Right
Diff
% % % %
Italy 69 42 +27 74 64 +10
France 70 49 +21 71 50 +21
UK 53 34 +19 59 44 +15
Spain 60 46 +14 69 51 +18
Germany 58 57 +1 73 59 +14
Poland 16 18 -2 25 36 -11
Liberal Conservative
Lib-Conserv
Diff Liberal Conservative
Lib-Conserv
Diff
% % % %
U.S. 68 30 +38 59 32 +27
25. Stark U.S. Partisan Differences on Climate Change
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 25
28. U.S. Relatively Less Concerned about Climate Change,
Less Willing to Take Action
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 28
45%
41
30
66
69
40
54%
51
40
67
78
54
U.S. Global Median
Climate change is a very
serious problem
Climate change is harming
people now
Very concerned climate change
will harm me personally
Support limiting country's
greenhouse gas emissions
People will have to make major
lifestyle changes to reduce the
effects of climate change
Rich countries should do more
than developing countries to
address climate change
Note: U.S. included in global median.
29. In U.S.: Lower Income, Women, Young More
Concerned about Climate Change
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 29
Climate change is a
very serious problem
Climate change is
harming people now
Very concerned
climate change will
harm me personally
% % %
TOTAL 45 41 30
Men 39 36 23
Women 51 45 36
18-29 52 49 34
30-49 49 42 37
50+ 38 36 21
Lower income 49 42 37
Higher income 41 40 21
Protestant 34 33 26
Catholic 50 45 39
Unaffiliated 56 49 27
30. …Women and Young More Willing to Do Something about It,
Lower Income Maybe Not
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 30
People will have to
make major lifestyle
changes
Support limiting
country’s greenhouse
gas emissions
Rich countries
should do more than
developing countries
% % %
TOTAL 66 69 40
Men 57 65 38
Women 75 72 42
18-29 65 85 51
30-49 72 69 42
50+ 61 60 34
Lower income 66 70 39
Higher income 68 70 41
31. In UK: Public Less Concerned about Climate Change
Just as Willing as Rest of World to Do Something about It
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 31
41%
48
19
67
78
49
54%
51
40
67
78
54
UK Global Median
Climate change is a very
serious problem
Climate change is harming
people now
Very concerned climate change
will harm me personally
Support limiting country's
greenhouse gas emissions
People will have to make major
lifestyle changes to reduce the
effects of climate change
Rich countries should do more
than developing countries to
address climate change
Note: UK included in global median.
32. British Women, Young and Labour Supporters Most Concerned
Global Warming Will Hurt Them Personally
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 32
Climate change is a
very serious problem
Climate change is
harming people now
Very concerned
climate change will
harm me personally
% % %
TOTAL 41 48 19
Men 38 50 16
Women 44 46 22
18-29 48 49 30
30-49 40 53 18
50+ 39 42 15
Conservative 28 37 11
Labour 47 51 19
33. … And Women, Labour Supporters Want Rich Countries to Do
More about Climate Change
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 33
People will have to
make major lifestyle
changes
Support limiting
country’s greenhouse
gas emissions
Rich countries
should do more than
developing countries
% % %
TOTAL 67 78 49
Men 60 77 45
Women 74 79 53
18-29 68 80 53
30-49 67 83 51
50+ 68 75 45
Conservatives 56 75 39
Labour 74 87 54
34. Germans Not That Worried Climate Change Will Affect Them
but Support Action to Slow Global Warming
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 34
55%
66
18
75
87
59
54%
51
40
67
78
54
Germany Global Median
Climate change is a very
serious problem
Climate change is harming
people now
Very concerned climate change
will harm me personally
Support limiting country's
greenhouse gas emissions
People will have to make major
lifestyle changes to reduce the
effects of climate change
Rich countries should do more
than developing countries to
address climate change
Note: Germany included in global median.
35. In Germany, Women and Greens Supporters Most
Concerned about Climate Change
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 35
Climate change is a
very serious problem
Climate change is
harming people now
Very concerned
climate change will
harm me personally
% % %
TOTAL 55 66 18
Men 50 66 16
Women 60 65 20
18-29 52 68 20
30-49 56 63 23
50+ 56 66 14
CDU 43 62 13
SPD 62 67 17
Greens 75 86 27
36. Germans: Women, Greens Support Lifestyle Changes to Address
Climate Change; Greens, Older Generation Back Rich Countries
Doing More
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 36
People will have to
make major lifestyle
changes
Support limiting
country’s greenhouse
gas emissions
Rich countries
should do more than
developing countries
% % %
TOTAL 75 87 59
Men 70 86 58
Women 81 87 61
18-29 70 89 47
30-49 78 83 56
50+ 75 88 65
CDU 68 89 57
SPD 82 85 53
Greens 89 94 78
37. Japanese Say Climate Change Is Harming People Now
and Want Limitations on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 37
45%
71
34
53
83
34
54%
51
40
67
78
54
Japan Global Median
Climate change is a very
serious problem
Climate change is harming
people now
Very concerned climate change
will harm me personally
Support limiting country's
greenhouse gas emissions
People will have to make major
lifestyle changes to reduce the
effects of climate change
Rich countries should do more
than developing countries to
address climate change
Note: Japan included in global median.
38. In Japan, Older Generation More Concerned about Climate Change
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 38
Climate change is a
very serious problem
Climate change is
harming people now
Very concerned
climate change will
harm me personally
% % %
TOTAL 45 71 34
Men 82 69 32
Women 88 73 35
18-29 29 61 27
30-49 38 74 32
50+ 52 73 36
Lower income 47 67 38
Higher income 43 75 30
Secondary 49 70 37
Post-secondary 40 73 29
39. … But Young and Old Both Willing to Act, and Young More Likely
to Say Rich Countries Should Do More to Address Climate Change
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 39
People will have to
make major lifestyle
changes
Support limiting
country’s greenhouse
gas emissions
Rich countries should
do more than
developing countries
% % %
TOTAL 53 83 34
Men 52 86 36
Women 54 80 32
18-29 48 83 45
30-49 52 85 35
50+ 54 82 31
Lower income 54 81 33
Higher income 53 87 36
Secondary 51 82 33
Post-secondary 57 86 36
40. French Concerned about Global Warming,
More Willing to Take Action
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 40
56%
59
35
83
86
54
54%
51
40
67
78
54
France Global Median
Climate change is a very
serious problem
Climate change is harming
people now
Very concerned climate change
will harm me personally
Support limiting country's
greenhouse gas emissions
People will have to make major
lifestyle changes to reduce the
effects of climate change
Rich countries should do more
than developing countries to
address climate change
Note: France included in global median.
41. In France, Young and Higher Income More
Worried about Climate Change
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 41
Climate change is a
very serious problem
Climate change is
harming people now
Very concerned
climate change will
harm me personally
% % %
TOTAL 56 59 35
Men 58 60 35
Women 54 57 35
18-29 61 68 40
30-49 57 67 38
50+ 52 48 31
Lower income 51 52 36
Higher income 60 64 34
42. … But Younger Generation Less Likely to Say Rich Countries
Should Do More to Address Global Warming’s Effects
November 5, 2015 www.pewresearch.org 42
People will have to
make major lifestyle
changes
Support limiting
country’s greenhouse
gas emissions
Rich countries
should do more than
developing countries
% % %
TOTAL 83 86 54
Men 80 87 50
Women 86 86 57
18-29 87 95 44
30-49 86 85 51
50+ 79 84 60
Lower income 82 83 56
Higher income 84 89 52
43. November 5, 2015 43
All Pew Research Center reports and data are
available online at www.pewresearch.org
www.pewresearch.org