https://www.haultail.com/news-article/18310/although-climate-change-is-global-its-importance-is-not-viewed-globally

1. ALTHOUGH CLIMATE CHANGE IS
GLOBAL, ITS IMPORTANCE IS NOT
VIEWED GLOBALLY
26 Jun 2019
Climate change is global in nature, and is creeping higher in surveys of
voter concerns. In some countries it’s at or near the top, but it’s not
regarded with the same urgency the world over.
Wildfires in California and Siberia. Floods wiping out grain harvests in
Argentina. Droughts forcing water restrictions in Capetown and affecting
shipping on Germany’s Rhine River.
Climate change is global in nature, and is creeping higher insurveys of voter
concerns. In some countries it’s at or near the top, but it’s not regarded with

2. the same urgency the world over. A Bloomberg collation of pollsreveals some
glaring disparities in the way the emerging crisis is viewed against
otherworries like jobs and security.
That presents a dilemma for political leaders. On the one hand, many face
pressure to burnish their environmental credentials as climate action
becomesa priorityfor voters and companies alike. On the other, they can be
accused by political opponents of focusing on a distant threat at theexpense
of more immediate existential concerns like healthcare or supporting
economic growth. The divide is not simplyfinancial, but often between urban
and rural voters, making the task for politicians all the more complex.
In many countries, climate and the environment has becomea political
battlefield on which elections are increasingly being fought. European Union
elections in May saw an unexpected surge in support for green parties. Yet
Australia’s ballot the same month saw the pro-environment, coal
industry-skeptic Labor Party loses rural votes—and the election—even as it
picked up supportin majorcities. Canada’s fall vote is shaping up to be
dominated by carbon taxes levied on fossil fuels.
As Group of 20 leaders prepare to meet in Japan this week, the risk is that
existing ideological differences over climate change are compounded by
differing voter expectations of action, putting any chance of consensus further
out of reach.
Consider the G-20 host. Japanese polls suggest that voter perceptions of the
importance of addressing climate change have fallen in recent years, showing
the issue is not just one of rich world versus poor world. The picture is further
clouded by signs of concern when voters are specifically asked: A March
survey by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs found the topics the public most
wanted to be discussed at the G-20 were ocean plastic (49.3%), followed by

3. climate change (48.1%). The implication may be that electorates simply don’t
see individual governments as able to tackle a global matter like climate, and
look to the G-20 for action.
Here are the main findings by global region.
Europe
An extended dry spell across northern Europe last summer brought record
temperatures from the UK to Finland and this year already threatens a repeat.
TheEuropean Drought Observatory reported as of September 2018 that crops
were damaged and the livestock sector was under pressure, while logistics
suffered “significant disruptions” and rising transportation costs due to the
impact on waterways.
EU27​:AEurobarometer surveyof the European Union’s 27 countries—minus
the U.K.—this spring found that “combating climate change and protecting the
environment” was cited as a concern by 43% of respondents, up from 35% a
year ago, and into the No. 4 slot on a list behind the economy and growth
(50%), youth unemployment (49%) and immigration (44%). Climate change
was the maintopic in seven countries (Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark,
Finland, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany), up from five EU states six
months previously.
UK​:In Brexit-dominated Britain, the environment was tied with the economy
for fourth most important issue in aYouGov poll of votersat the end of April.
That’s up from ninth a year ago. The top three issues were Brexit, health and
crime.
Russia​:Dozens were killed inSiberian wildfiresin April and May thatmelted
permafrostacross huge areas of northern Russia, but none of it resonated
much with voters in the main population centers. “Ecology and the

4. environment” placed 15th on a list of voter concerns in aMay 19 pollconducted
by the Russian Public Opinion Foundation, down from shared 11th place in
January. The top concerns were utility bills, inflation andwages. That said,
awareness of the environment more generally—usually taken to mean air and
water pollution in Russia—is growing, albeit slowly, with 10% of respondents
citing it as a major concern, up from 6% in 2016.
Norway​:One of the world’s largestoil and gas producers, Norway basks in a
relatively pristine environment and leads the world in electric vehicles per
inhabitant. But in political terms, caring for the environment comes relatively
low on the scale ofvoter concerns, with just 17% citing it as a top issue, below
education (28%), health (26%), care of the elderly (22%) and social
differences (18%). In the capital, Oslo, however, voters cite the environment
as second only to education, 29% to 30%.
North America
US​:Donald Trump has made help for the coal industry and cutting back on
environmental protections a cornerstone of his presidency, and pulled the US
out of the Paris climate accords. Yet surveys consistently show many
Americas are worried about climate change: aQuinnipiac University pollin
December 2018 found 69% of respondents were somewhat or very concerned
by climate change. Break it down by political affiliation, however, and the gulf
becomes clear: among Democrats, the number was 92%, while for
Republicans it was 36%.
The US has dealt with a range of recent natural disasters, including
widespread flooding in the Midwest and South on top of last year’s
devastating wildfires in California. There have been 1,171 eyewitness tornado
reports in 2019 so far, well above normal, the US National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration says. The Quinnipiac poll found 90% of

5. Democrats attribute those kind of extreme weather events to climate change;
just 24% of Republicans shared that view.
Canada​:Climate change is set to be a central issue in the fall election, with
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax helping determine whether he
wins a second term. Consequently, climate change ranks “relatively high” on
apoll of voter concerns, according toAbacus Data, which found 74% said it
was a very big or moderately big problem in November. That was still behind
issues including drug addiction, wages and the gap between rich and poor.
The top concern was affordability of housing. This month,unseasonal early
wildfiresin the oil-producing state of Alberta forced evacuations and cuts in oil
output.
Latin America
Argentina​:Voter priorities focus on consumer price increases, high taxation,
corruption and unemployment, according to a May poll by Sao Paulo-based
Atlas Politico. Climate didn’t feature. Argentine farmers have been some of
the first to feel the effects of climate change, with floods wiping out grains as
rainfall in the Pampas exceeded the 50-year average in five of the past six
years.
Mexico​:AParametria pollfrom July 2018 showed corruption followed by crime
and then the economy as the key issues that prompted voters to elect
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. In office, he has pledged little on
climate but did halt fracking for shale. Then he broke ground on a new
gasoline refinery, while putting auctions for renewable energy production
contracts on hold. Meanwhile fires near Mexico City worsen the air quality in a
city already plagued by smog. In May, schools were closed for a day because
the air quality was hazardous.

6. Brazil​:With massive deforestation of the Amazon, and epic floods and
droughts hitting its vast agriculture and energy supply—water supplies in
Brasilia were restricted for two days a week last summer—Brazil may be one
of the countries where climate issues are most visible. Yet it israrely a central
debate in elections or a top concern in voter surveys. President Jair Bolsonaro
makes no secret of his intention to exploit resources rather than preserve
them. In a December 2018 Ibopepoll, unemployment, corruption and health
and public security topped the list of voter concerns. Only 1% of those polled
cited the environment as a main concern.
Asia
Japan​:Last month, Hokkaido had thehottest temperatureeverrecorded for May
in Japan. Pollsters do not as a rule ask about climate change in monthly
surveys, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe rarely addresses it in speeches.
Some polling suggests concern over the issue has fallen since a peak in
2007. However, asked what the government should prioritize in terms of
scientific research, 66% of respondents to a January survey conducted by the
Nikkei placed “energy and the environment” second after health. All parties
have environmental policies in their manifestos, with agreement on an 80%
cut in greenhouse gases by 2050.
India​:Measures to combat the world’s worst air pollution made it onto political
party manifestos for this year’s elections for the first time in India’s history.
Voters’ chief concerns, however, were a lack of government support for
farmers, coupled with growing rural distress, a lack of jobs and, in areas like
Chennai, a looming water crisis. The ruling BJP does seem to have realized
that climate change and droughts are a growing concern, and Prime Minister
Narendra Modi announced a separate ministry for water called Jal Shakti.

7. Australia​:“The environment” is creeping up the scale of issues for voters in
the world’s driest inhabited continent, but is still just outside the top five
concerns. TheIpsos Issues Monitorplaced it sixth in its March report, with 21%
of respondents identifying it as a major concern, compared with 10 percent in
2015. The top five issues were the cost of living, healthcare, crime, the
economy and immigration. Still, a separate Lowy Institute survey released this
week found that Australians see climate change as the No. 1 “critical threat,”
ahead of cyberattacks and North Korea’s nuclear program. Energy and the
environment wasa key dividing line in the May election, with voters
unexpectedly backing Scott Morrison’s conservative, pro-mining government.
South Korea​:Perhaps unsurprisingly, relations with North Korea are the top
concern in Seoul. A weekly Gallup Poll for May 31 found the other main
reasons for approval or disapproval of President Moon Jae-in to be his
diplomacy, anti-corruption drive, welfare, economy and employment matters.
Climate change didn’t feature, despite what was probablythe biggest wildfirein
South Korea’s history raging that same month. Concerns have also risen in
recent years over dangerous levels offine dust pollution, prompting the army
to be drafted in to monitor the phenomenon.
Indonesia​:The world’s largest island nation vies with Australia as the world’s
largest coal exporter. It’s also the biggest producer of palm oil, a practice only
achievable through unbridled deforestation and expansion of plantations.
While the April elections were largely fought on bread and butter issues like
unemployment, inflation and wealth distribution, along with divisive religious
identity politics, the government is not immune to climate matters. The capital,
Jakarta, is sinking due to rising sea levels, and international pressure is
forcing a move toward a less-damaging biodiesel program for palm oil.

8. China​:Granted, the world’s most population nation doesn’t hold elections, but
that doesn’t mean it’s immune to the impact of man-made climate change.
The Communist Party sought tocurbcoal-burning power stations to improve air
quality, and President Xi Jinping signed up to the Paris climate accords.
ANovember 2017 survey, ‘Climate Change in the Chinese Mind,’ found a high
level of awareness of climate change and concluded that 90% of those
surveyedsupported implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Middle East
Turkey​:Freak stormsravaged Istanbul two years ago, but voters have other
concerns. They regard unemployment, the cost of living and depreciation of
the Turkish lira as the most significant problems facing the country, according
to theSocial and Political Trends in Turkeysurvey conducted by Kadir Has
University. Terrorism, an ever-present threat, has receded in recent months.
Climate and the environment didn’t feature in the January survey.
Israel​:Climate concerns arenot on the Israeli voter’s radar, even after a
five-year drought sent the amount of rain reaching natural water sources to its
lowest level in about a century and accelerated the shrinkage of the Dead
Sea. In a May survey, the Israel Democracy Institute research center found
only 2.5% of Jewish Israelis and 6.9% of Israeli Arabs said theenvironment
should be a top issue discussed in coalition agreements. Defense and
socioeconomic matters top thelist of prioritiesas income inequities fester and
security threats loom on the country’s northern and southern borders.
Africa
Nigeria​:Climate concerns are almost absent from Nigeria voters, despite
desertification in the country’s north east and the shrinking of the Lake Chad
basin thought to be behind the southern migration of herdsmen leading to

9. violent clashes with farmers. None of the major political parties had it in their
manifestos or even mentioned it during February’s elections. Education,
security and electricity were thetop three concernsfor Nigerian voters going
into the election, followed by improving the economy, agriculture and jobs.
South Africa​:In a country with a jobless rate approaching 28% in March,
voters consistently placed jobs and unemployment at the top of their concerns
in three polls by the South African Institute of Race Relations from September
2018 through April 2019. Corruption came next, followed by basic services
like electricity and water, crime and insecurity, education and housing. In the
list of 13 key concerns, ranging from drug abuse to racism, climate didn’t
feature. That’s despite a water crisis that peaked in mid-2017 to mid-2018 and
brought Cape Town to the brink of becoming the first major city in the world to
run out of water.
Kenya​:A Nairobi-based Trends and Insights for Africa (TIFA Research) poll in
2018 showed the Kenyan electorate to be most concerned by the high cost of
living (58%), unemployment (14%), lack of access to credit (6%), poverty
(5%), political tension (5%) and poor healthcare (3%). As of May this year
therains were delayedunusually, prompting the central bank to cut the
economic forecast of the agriculture-dependent economy. And yet 71% of
Kenyan respondents to aPew Research Center pollof global threats—ranging
from cyberattacks to North Korea’s nuclear program—cited climate change as
their chief concern.