COP26 measures to protect nature and transition to low emission energies resonate strongly with Australians.
This special True Issues COP26 poll was conducted as an online survey between 22 – 24 November among a representative national sample of 1,000 Australians aged 18+ years.
The survey indicates that most Australians are concerned about climate change, with almost half extremely or very concerned about it.
Most also claim to have read, seen or heard something about the recent COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. Around half claim to know at least a little about COP26 and the outcomes that countries agreed to.
Despite limited knowledge about the issue of net-zero emissions, a majority of adults support Australia committing to achieve the target of net-zero emissions by the year 2050, including three in ten who strongly support this goal.
When asked about specific measures discussed or announced at COP26, a majority of adults agree Australia should be undertaking many of them to mitigate the risks and impacts of climate change.
Measures that resonate most strongly with the community centre on nature and clean, low-emission energies, with more than six in ten Australians agreeing we should be:
- protecting and restoring nature, ecosystems and biodiversity;
- developing and deploying technologies and adopting policies to transition towards low-emission energies; and
- scaling up deployment of clean power generation and energy efficiency measures.
A majority of adults also agree that Australia should be working to limit the average temperature increase, and reducing carbon emissions by 45% by 2030, and to net-zero by 2050.
Community opinion is more mixed on whether Australia should transition to zero-emission vehicles, phase down or phase out coal power, and phase out fossil fuel subsidies.
This was an excerpt from our latest True Issues report, to read the full report, click the link below.
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