Climate change and energy

Attitudes to global warming

The majority of Australians (59%) continue to view climate change as a critical threat to Australia’s vital interests in the coming decade. Both ‘drought and water shortages’ and ‘environmental disasters such as bushfires and floods’ were among the top-ranked threats in 2020. However, some concern about climate change may have been overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic uncertainty. In 2020, 56% of Australians say ‘Global warming is a serious and pressing problem. We should begin taking steps now even if this involves significant costs.’ This is five points lower than in 2019, and 12 points below the peak of concern in 2006 when 68% expressed this view. The level of concern remains 20 points higher than the low point of 36% in 2012. The urban population expresses higher levels of concern about global warming. Six in ten (59%) Australians living in capital cities say that ‘global warming as ‘a serious and pressing issue’, compared with 50% of the regional and remote population.

Climate change and energy
Attitudes to global warming

Question

There is a controversy over what the countries of the world, including Australia, should do about the problem of global warming. Please tell me which statement comes closest to your own point of view?

This question was last asked in 2020.

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Dotted line indicates change in mode: see Methodology.

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