Global climate change poll suggests Canada not too worried

A global survey of attitudes toward climate change suggests Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will have a fine line to walk at an upcoming international conference on the issue — do something, but not too much.

Canada is among 40 countries in which a majority of people agreed that global warming is a very serious problem, says the study from Pew Research, a U.S.-based polling and research agency.

But it’s only a slim majority of Canadians at 51 per cent. The global median was 54 per cent.

The research also suggests that Canadians may not be entirely convinced that they will feel the effects of climate change. Sixty-four per cent were at least somewhat concerned the issue will affect them directly — lower than the 72 per cent global average.

“I would have assumed that Canadians would have been more concerned,” said report co-author Bruce Stokes.

The Pew study surveyed more than 45,000 people around the world last May, including about 1,000 in Canada. It is considered accurate within 3.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Despite confusing and sometimes contradictory findings, Stokes said a clear trend is emerging in Canada and around the world that leaders need to do something to limit the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.

The survey suggested 84 per cent of Canadians support some kind of international agreement. Around the world, the figure averaged 78 per cent.

“My sense of it is that people prefer precaution,” Stokes said. “They think, ‘OK, I’m not so worried about this, but I’m worried enough that I will elect somebody to do something.’”

The report also suggested nearly three-quarters of Canadians felt that climate change solutions would require changes in their personal lives.

“We don’t know what those changes that they’re willing to accept are,” Stokes said. “But it is interesting that seven out of 10 Canadians say they’re going to have to change the way they live.”

The Pew study comes as world leaders prepare to gather in Paris at the end of the month to hammer out a deal on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised that Canada will do its share.

Its findings are in broad agreement with other studies on attitudes toward climate change.

An Associated Press poll earlier this month found that two out of three Americans accept global warming. But fewer than one in four Americans is extremely or very worried about it and the highest percentage of those polled — 38 per cent — were not too worried or not at all worried.

EKOS Research surveyed 1,800 Albertans in late August and early September and found 53 per cent support for tougher climate change policies.

Data recently released through the Canada Institute at the Washington-based Wilson Center said fewer than 15 per cent of Canadians believe climate change will greatly harm them. And only 30 per cent of Canadians are willing to spend more than $100 a year to fight it.

Still, there’s enough support around the world for leaders to move on the issue in Paris, suggested Stokes.

“In most of these countries, you have solid majorities who say they’re very concerned. They want their governments to sign an agreement and do something about this, and they’re actually open to talking about lifestyle changes.”