Surprising global views on climate change

The effects of man upon climate change are almost universally acknowledged, if not quite. Surprisingly some the countries in which one might automatically assume few deniers, the evidence points the other way.

In a YouGov survey, Norway, Germany and Sweden all have at least 5 per cent of their populations denying any link between human activity and climate warming. These countries are joined by other, more predictable, nations such as the US, UAE, Australia

Countries most convinced climate change is related to human activity:

• Thailand (96 per cent)
• Spain (96 per cent)
• Vietnam (96 per cent)

Countries least convinced climate change is related to human activity:

• US (9 per cent unconvinced)
• Norway (8 per cent unconvinced)
• Saudi Arabia (7 per cent unconvinced)

There is also some denial that change is actually happening at all, strongest in the US (6 per cent), followed by Saudi Arabia and Australia.

It might be noted, that with the exception of Sweden (6 per cent denying a link and 2 per cent disbelieving climate is changing) the most sceptical countries have major fossil fuel economies.

The YouGov study was of 30,000 people in 28 economies, and also addressed the issue of hoe hopeful people were that the worst aspects of climate change could be avoided. Here the most optimistic countries, those thinking current or more radical actions can prevent the worst effects are:

• China (90 per cent)
• Qatar, Vietnam and Indonesia (all scored the same at 89 per cent)

Most pessimistic – that is to say, the highest number of people believing it is too late to avoid climate change affects:

• India (22 per cent)
• France (20 per cent)
• Thailand (18 per cent)

As a comparator, the UK has a higher than median percentage believing in the human impact on climate change (88 per cent) and the median number of pessimists (11 per cent).

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