Global Warming is Still the Most Important Environmental Issue

Poll by Roy Morgan Research

The most important environmental issues facing the World today are Global warming related issues (52%, down 1% from May 2009), ahead of Pollution (19%, down 5%), Water management and Drought (19%, up 6%) and Depletion of Resources (12%, down 5%).These are the results of a recent telephone Roy Morgan Survey on the most important environmental issues facing the World and Australia conducted in November 2009.

The most important environmental issue facing Australia today is Water management & Drought (45%, up 9%) ahead of Global warming related issues (34%, up 7%), Natural disasters (29%, up 9%) and Pollution issues (16%, down 3%).

World Environmental Issues

The precise environmental issues to increase since May this year are led by Climate change (21%, up 6%), now only just behind Global warming (23%, down 1%), Water conservation, Water management (11%, up 3%), Drought (8%, up 4%) and Famine (4%, up 3%).

Australian Environmental Issues

Since May several related environmental issues have increased significantly led by Water conservation, Water management (25%, up 5%), Drought (23%, up 7%), Climate change (16%, up 9%) and Bushfires (9%, up 5%).

When asked specifically about Global warming and the associated problems, 34% (up 11%) of Australians mentioned Rising sea levels, 27% (down 3%) cited Climate change, 17% (down 2%) said the Melting of polar ice caps and 13% (up 4%) mentioned the Greenhouse effect, Heating up of planet, Thermal blanket as a problem related to Global warming.

A slightly reduced majority of Australians aged 14+ (57%, down 1%) believe “If we don’t act now it will be too late” in relation to Global warming compared to 26% (unchanged) that say about Global warming that “Concerns are exaggerated.”

Slightly more Australians (13%, up 1%) say about Global warming that “It is already too late” while just 4% (unchanged) can’t say.

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