Over 90% Indians Want Green Policies, Climate Action

A large study called “Climate Change in the Indian Mind, 2023” shows that a lot of people in India are worried about climate change. The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the Centre for Voting Opinion & Trends in Election Research (CVoter) did the poll in September and October 2023. The results show that 91% of those who answered agree that global warming is real.

Public Perception and Concern

The study shows a lot of worry about the effects of climate change. 59% of those who answered said they are “very worried.” 52% of people agree that human actions are the main cause of global warming, while 38% say that natural changes in the environment are to blame.

Perceived Risks and Effects

A lot of people are worried about the risks of global warming: 83% think it will hurt plants and animals. 82% are afraid for Indian people. – A big part of the population thinks that severe weather changes, like extreme heatwaves and storms, will happen. 71% of those who answered think that global warming has a big effect on their local weather, and 76% think that it has a big effect on the monsoons.

Policy Support and Governmental Expectations

People have strong opinions about what the government does and how it does it: a large majority (78%+) say that the Indian government should do more to fight global warming. About 86% of people strongly support policies that aim to reach Net Zero emissions by 2070, as agreed upon at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference.

More About Climate Change Awareness

• Thwaites Glacier: Often referred to as the “Doomsday Glacier,” Thwaites in Antarctica is melting rapidly, significantly raising global sea levels.
• Ocean Acidification: Since the Industrial Revolution, ocean acidity has increased by about 30% due to higher CO2 levels, affecting marine life.
• Arctic Vegetation: Climate change has made Arctic regions greener as higher temperatures allow shrubs and trees to flourish.
• Solar Dimming: Projects like injecting light-reflecting particles into the stratosphere aim to combat global warming.
• Paris Agreement: Despite global agreements, only a few countries are on track to meet their CO2 emission targets.
• Climate Refugees: Predicted to become a significant crisis, areas affected by severe weather could displace millions by 2050.
• Invisible CO2: An average tree absorbs about 48 pounds of CO2 annually, yet globally, humans emit about 33 billion tons.
• Climate Education: Less than 6% of schoolchildren received thorough climate education as of 2021.
• Heat Waves: Increasingly frequent, severe heatwaves cause more deaths annually than other weather-related events.
• Economic Effects: Climate change could cost global economies $23 trillion by 2050 due to extreme weather and disrupted agriculture.

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2024

Category: Environment Current Affairs • India Nation & States Current Affairs