(Melissa Bradley, Unsplash)
This article is brought to you thanks to the collaboration of The European Sting with the World Economic Forum.
Author: Emma Charlton, Senior Writer, Formative Content
While there’s widespread scientific consensus that the world is getting warmer, it seems some individuals still need convincing.
In the US, 6% of people say climate change isn’t real, and 9% don’t attribute global warming to human action, according to a survey by YouGov.
On the plus side, the survey shows a widespread awareness of climate change, something that’s been reinforced in recent years by campaigners including Greta Thunberg, who made a passionate plea for action at the United Nations.
The majority of respondents in the YouGov study of 30,000 people in 28 economies acknowledge climate change is happening and that humanity is at least partly responsible. People in India were most likely to think that way, followed by those in Thailand and Spain.
Environmental issues are central to the World Economic Forum’s work, with the Global Risks Report 2019 showing that decision makers see climate change policy failures as one of the gravest future threats.
What’s the World Economic Forum doing about climate change?
Climate change poses an urgent threat demanding decisive action. Communities around the world are already experiencing increased climate impacts, from droughts to floods to rising seas. The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report continues to rank these environmental threats at the top of the list.
To limit global temperature rise to well below 2°C and as close as possible to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, it is essential that businesses, policy-makers, and civil society advance comprehensive near- and long-term climate actions in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The World Economic Forum’s Climate Initiative supports the scaling and acceleration of global climate action through public and private-sector collaboration. The Initiative works across several workstreams to develop and implement inclusive and ambitious solutions.
This includes the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, a global network of business leaders from various industries developing cost-effective solutions to transitioning to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy. CEOs use their position and influence with policy-makers and corporate partners to accelerate the transition and realize the economic benefits of delivering a safer climate.
While this report highlights a minority of people denying human impact, scientists say climate impacts could hit much harder and sooner than previously predicted. A new United Nations report shows a record level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the organization is calling for more radical action on solutions.
The survey shows it’s not too late to combat climate change – but also that drastic action is needed.
The United Nations is spearheading a global call to individual action, with its ActNow campaign to raise awareness, ambition and action for climate change.
And one of the positive messages from the YouGov survey is that many people understand the need to take action and adjust their consumption patterns.
Is there a habit or routine you could change today?
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