Tobias Rademacher
A survey by Veolia and research and consulting firm ELABE reveals a majority of people in Britain believe climate disruption can be avoided.
Although 77 per cent of the survey sample indicated the risk of climate disruption is serious and immediate, only 11 per cent were of the opinion it is already too late to change course.
Furthermore, a third of respondents admitted they are worried about the future due to climate change. UK levels of eco-anxiety were reported to be higher than the rest of Europe (27 per cent) and the global average (30 per cent), but far lower than India which is home to the largest population of concerned citizens (58 per cent).
Three quarters of people surveyed thought that human activity was the main cause of climate change with two thirds convinced that financing the solutions to climate change would cost less than doing nothing and paying to clear up the effects.
Gavin Graveson, Veolia Senior Executive Vice President Northern Europe Zone, says: “It’s time for our world leaders to give a voice to the public’s climate concerns and back the solutions that will deliver ecological transformation.
“We can’t ignore the climate disruption that has made 2022 one of the hottest years on record. We can’t rely on fossil fuels or virgin materials. The time is now, we need to invest in resilience because we can’t afford – both financially and environmentally – to do nothing.”
Solutions that the UK public are most in favour of:
- Recycling: 85 per cent of respondents said they would sort their waste further for recycling and over 80 per cent said they would buy everyday products packaged in or made from recycled content.
- Recycled water: Two thirds (66%) of the UK would wash themselves, dishes and clothes with recycled water from wastewater treatment
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