Six in 10 urban Indians (61 per cent) polled believe the effect of climate change in their area so far has been severe, finds a global study on done by Ipsos, market research firm.
The study, released ahead of the COP28 UN Climate Change Conference, also shows that about 65 per cent of the urban Indian who participated in the survey foresee the effect of climate change turning more severe in the next 10 years.
The survey aimed to know how people feel about climate change right now focusing on what they see around them and what they think about actions being taken to address the challenges it brings.
The study emphasises that concern about climate change is widespread across the 29 global markets surveyed, with 57 per cent of global citizens and 61 per cent of urban Indians perceiving the impact as severe.
Leading in concern are Mexico (81 per cent), Brazil (79 per cent), and Turkey (79 per cent), with 71 per cent of global citizens expressing worries about climate change intensifying over the next decade.
Urban Indians stand out in their apprehension about the long-term effects of climate change, with 57 per cent fearing displacement from their homes within the next 25 years. Globally, 38 per cent share this concern.
Notably, 63 per cent of Indians believe their government is doing enough to inform citizens and guide them in making better choices regarding climate change.
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In contrast, a majority of global citizens, 59 per cent, feel their governments are not doing enough to guide them in making informed choices to combat climate change. This sentiment is particularly strong in Peru (81 per cent), Argentina (81 per cent), and Colombia (76 per cent).
Among urban citizens, 62 per cent expressed satisfaction with businesses, believing they are adequately contributing to providing better choices for addressing climate change. In contrast, the global perspective differs, with 61 per cent of global citizens stating that their businesses are not doing enough to offer them improved options for dealing with climate change. Additionally, 49 per cent of urban Indians feel that their government keeps them informed about the potential impact of climate change, while only 31 per cent of global citizens share this viewpoint.
According to the study, the perspectives on how the media reports on climate change varied between urban Indians and global citizens. Among urban Indians, 37 per cent believed that the media exaggerates the impact of climate change, while 32 per cent thought it underestimates the impact. Only 18 per cent felt that the media provides a fair and accurate representation of the impact of climate change.
Commenting on the findings of the study, Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India said, "Climate change crisis is looming large, and India has been in the throes of it with unpredictable climate crisis like poor air quality, floods, landslides, drought and water crisis. As a nation, government, businesses and citizens have adopted changes in their daily lives to deal with the climate crisis, by saying no to single use plastic, making eco-friendly choices and reducing their carbon footprint. Campaigns run by the govt, businesses and celebrities have initiated behavioural change in citizens, even around disposal of garbage, by segregation. India is playing its part responsibly, though keeping the severity of climate change in mind, we could further accelerate our efforts, in tackling
Commenting on the findings of the study, Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India said, "Climate change crisis is looming large, and India has been in the throes of it with unpredictable climate crisis like poor air quality, floods, landslides, drought and water crisis. As a nation, government, businesses and citizens have adopted changes in their daily lives to deal with the climate crisis, by saying no to single use plastic, making eco-friendly choices and reducing their carbon footprint. Campaigns run by the govt, businesses and celebrities have initiated behavioural change in citizens, even around disposal of garbage, by segregation. India is playing its part responsibly, though keeping the severity of climate change in mind, we could further accelerate our efforts, in tackling
the harmful impact of climate change.”