皮尤-为了应对气候变化，发达经济体的公民愿意改变他们的生活和工作方式（英）-2021.9-42页_1mb

Summary of "In Response to Climate Change, Citizens in Advanced Economies Are Willing To Alter How They Live and Work"

Core Content

A Pew Research Center survey conducted in 17 advanced economies in early 2021 reveals that citizens across these regions are increasingly concerned about the personal impact of climate change and are willing to alter their lifestyles and work habits to combat it. The study, which includes 16,254 adults from 16 advanced economies and 2,596 U.S. adults, highlights a growing sense of threat from climate change, with mixed views on the effectiveness of international efforts to address it.

Main Findings

Personal Impact Concern

• A median of 72% across 17 publics express at least some concern that climate change will harm them personally in their lifetime.
• The share of people who are very concerned about personal harm ranges from 15% in Sweden to 57% in Greece.
• Germany shows the most significant increase in concern since 2015, with the share of "very concerned" rising by 19 percentage points.
• Japan is the only country where concern has decreased, dropping by 8 percentage points since 2015.

Willingness to Change

• A median of 80% across 17 publics say they are willing to make at least some changes to how they live and work to reduce climate change effects.
• Greece leads with 62% willing to make a lot of changes, while Japan has the lowest at 8%.
• Young adults (18–29 years) are more willing to change than older adults (65+ years) in several countries, including Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.
• Political ideology influences willingness to change: those on the left are more likely to make changes than those on the right. In the U.S., liberals are 94% willing to change, while conservatives are only 45%.
• Education and income also correlate with willingness to change. Those with higher education and higher income are more likely to express willingness to alter their behavior.

Public Perception of Climate Response

• A median of 56% across 17 publics say their society is doing at least a somewhat good job dealing with climate change.
• Singapore and New Zealand show the most positive assessments, with 81% and 79% respectively saying their societies are doing a good job.
• Italy and the U.S. have the lowest confidence, with 48% and 47% respectively rating their climate response as favorable.
• Sweden and the UK are the most optimistic, with 73% and 70% respectively rating their climate efforts as good.
• Japan has the most critical view, with 20% saying their society is doing a very bad job.

International Climate Efforts

• Majorities in 12 of the 17 publics believe their own society is doing a good job, but only 5% in most countries rate EU or UN efforts as "very good."
• EU is generally viewed positively, with majorities in most countries saying it is doing a good job, except Germany where opinions are split.
• The U.S. is seen as underperforming, with only 53% in Singapore rating it as doing a good job, while 60% or more in several European and Asian-Pacific countries rate it as doing a bad job.
• China is judged most poorly, with a median of 78% across 17 publics saying its response is "bad," and 45% saying it is "very bad."

Key Information

• Survey Methodology: Conducted via nationally representative telephone surveys in 16 advanced economies and through the American Trends Panel in the U.S.
• Age Differences: Younger adults are more concerned about personal harm from climate change and more willing to make changes, especially in Sweden, Australia, and New Zealand.
• Gender Differences: Women are more concerned about personal harm than men in many publics, including Germany, U.S., Sweden, and UK.
• Ideological Divide: Left-leaning individuals are more willing to make lifestyle changes and more optimistic about their society's response to climate change than right-leaning individuals.
• Confidence in International Action: Only 46% of publics are confident that international efforts will significantly reduce climate change effects, while 52% are not.

Conclusion

The survey underscores a global shift in public perception toward climate change, with increased personal concern and willingness to change behavior. However, confidence in international efforts remains low, with Europe and Asia-Pacific publics generally more supportive of their own national responses than of global cooperation. The findings highlight the need for more effective international strategies and the importance of aligning public policy with the growing awareness and willingness of citizens to act.