Survey confirms that changing perceptions and behaviour is major challenge in moving to low carbon living

Research published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change reveals that over 50% of people questioned don’t believe climate change will affect them, and only 1 in 5 (18%) respondents think that climate change will take effect during their children’s lifetime.

The results showed that a big motivator for people to take action on climate change is the knowledge that it will impact on the next generation. Three quarters of people (74%) said they would make changes to their lifestyle now if they knew climate change was going to affect their children.

Recent research is shows the public are unclear on what causes climate change and what the effects are so in response the Government is today confronting the public with the reality and the consequences.

The Government wants to educate people on the dangers of climate change and has launched its first ever direct public information announcement, to be shown on TV, confirming the existence of climate change and its man-made origin.

The advert features a father telling his daughter a story of ‘a very very strange’ world with ‘horrible consequences’ for today’s children as part of the current Act on C02 campaign to encourage people to make a difference by changing their behaviour.

Energy and Climate Change Minister, Joan Ruddock, said: ''The results show that people don’t realise that climate change is already underway and could have very severe consequences for their children’s lives. It also suggests people still aren’t sure what causes climate change. Our new Act on C02adverts show how serious it is and that we can all do something about it.

'With over 40% of the UK’s C02 emissions a result of personal choices, there is huge potential for individual behaviour change to lower emissions, save money and put the UK in a stronger position going into the Copenhagen summit negotiations.'

The results showed:

• 74% of people would take immediate action to change their lifestyle now if they knew that climate change would affect their children’s lives
• 52% of people believe that their actions as an individual can help stop the effects climate change
• Those living in London are most concerned with the threat of climate change with 39% of people believing it will significantly affect their lives
• Only a quarter (26%) of the public believe that climate change is already impacting on the UK
• Over 55yr olds are least concerned with climate change compared to the under 24yr olds believing that the results of climate change have already begun
• Respondents cited flooding as one of the most common effects of climate change that will happen in the UK (69%)
• Residents in the Midlands most feared the risk of adverse weather conditions (73%) as result of climate change – recent Climate change projections showed that by 2080 rainfall on the wettest day of the year in the East Midlands could increase by 30%