Britons want more done to stop climate change

Three times more people in the UK consider climate change, rather than terrorism, to be the greatest threat to mankind, a study in London has revealed.


Conducted as part of a series of debates exploring climate change and other global concerns at the Science Museum’s Dana Centre in London, the survey showed that the British public felt strongly about climate change as a major global issue.

More than one third of those questioned felt our changing climate was currently the biggest threat to mankind, and 75% felt that the Government was not doing enough to combat global warming.

In contrast, only 11% felt that terrorism posed a serious global problem.

Moreover, about a third of us would give up flying in a bid to prevent global warming, although only 28% of Londoners say they would ditch their jet-setting lifestyles compared with nearly half of those living in the north.

“We were astounded to see that a third of all our survey respondents would give up flying to reduce their contribution to climate change,” programme manager for the Dana Centre, Lisa Jamieson said.

“It demonstrates how important this issue is becoming to people: only last year Sir David King, the UK’s chief scientific advisor claimed that climate change is the most severe problem that we are facing today, more serious even than the threat of terrorism, and it seems our audience agrees with him.”

As well as 75% of people thinking that the Government was not taking pressing environmental issues seriously enough, a majority of 86% felt that businesses in the UK were shirking their responsibility to operate in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way.

Just 31% felt that a lack of essentials such as food, water and housing was the most important issue for the Government to solve.

By Jane Kettle

Action inspires action. Stay ahead of the curve with sustainability and energy newsletters from edie

Subscribe