A climate change survey carried out in August 2019 has found national support for tackling the climate crisis. A total of 2,018 people were surveyed by YouGov to gouge national views about climate change. The majority of respondents, 62 percent, agreed addressing the situation requires “high” or “extremely high” levels of urgency. The results come amid an intentional outcry urging governments to take action against global warming.
According to the poll, 62 percent of those surveyed agreed climate change requires decisive action.
About 19.3 percent said there is a “moderate level of urgency” and 9.2 percent said they do not know.
Only 10 percent said the climate situation requires a “low level urgency” or “little or no urgency” at all.
A total of 61 percent welcomed the Government’s declaration of a climate emergency.
Only 11 percent opposed the decision to declare a crisis.
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The survey also asked about attitudes towards taking direct action in fighting back climate change.
Respondents were asked whether they would reduce the amount of meat they eat and whether they would fly less.
According to the survey, 67 percent of people felt Britons should “definitely” or “probably” fly less.
The poll also looked at attitudes concerning the severity of climate change and whether the nation is worried by its effects.
About 37 percent of those surveyed said they were either very or extremely worried by climate change.
The number of respondents was up by 17 percent from results gathered three years ago.
Only seven percent said they were “not at all worried”.
The overall results show people are growing more concerned, with 48 percent of those questioned saying they have grown more worried in the last 12 months.
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Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh, director of the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) welcomed the results.
The climate expert said: “Our new survey findings make clear that most people feel climate change is an urgent issue, and are willing to make significant changes to their own lifestyles to help tackle it.
“Changing travel and food habits are amongst the most impactful thing individuals can do to reduce their carbon footprint – it’s very encouraging that there’s support amongst the public for making these changes.”
The Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations is a collaboration between Cardiff, Manchester, York and East Anglia Universities, backed by £5million from The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
Professor Whitmarsh said: “We are very excited to be launching CAST.
“The Centre will aim to put people at the heart of the transformations required to address climate change, and seek to find ways in which we can live better as well as in low-carbon and sustainable ways.
“Cardiff University, together with our partners in Manchester, East Anglia, and York Universities, and charity Climate Outreach, will be working with a range of private-, public- and third- sector partners to understand how to transform lifestyles, organisations and social structures in order to achieve a low-carbon future.”
Professor Jennifer Rubin, executive chair of the ESRC said: “This is a really important Centre to be funding because of its strong focus on developing and testing effective approaches to communicating climate change and its effects.
“Despite the urgent need to tackle climate change, researchers know that people rarely talk about it on a day-to-day basis – this means opportunities for meaningful dialogue and practical responses relevant to people’s everyday lives are missed.”