Helping cut emissions? a million Kiwis say “it depends”
Horizon Research
When it comes to helping cut emissions a
million Kiwis say “it depends”
Just over one
million New Zealanders say helping the country reduce its
greenhouse gas emissions will depend on how much it costs or
benefits them.
Just over a million say they’ll help
regardless of the costs or benefits.
Around 260,000 say
they won’t help.
The willingness to help is linked to
whether people think climate change is a problem or not,
according to a Horizon Research nationwide poll.
Main
findings on whether New Zealanders will personally help cut
emissions are:
• 38% (around 1.20 million
adults) will help regardless of costs or benefits
•
However, for 37% (around 1.18 million adults) it is
conditional:
• 12% want to see actions benefit
them
• 25% say it depends on how much it costs
them
• 8% (around 256,000) are not prepared to
help at all.
Those most worried about personal cost to
them are business decision makers, professionals and senior
government officials and the retired
Removing those who
are not sure, 54% of business managers and executives say
their actions depend on costs and benefits, 29% say they
must help regardless of cost.
44% of teachers, nurses,
police and other trained service workers say it depends,
while 30% say they will help regardless of cost.
34% of
homemakers and those not otherwise employed say it depends,
31% say they’ll help regardless.
Nearly 50% of retired people say it depends on cost and benefits to them, 31% say they’ll help regardless.
The results indicate that while 64% of
adults nationwide believe climate change is a problem, 29%
of them saying it is urgent (and 30% say it is a problem for
later or not a problem) the real challenge for the
Government or Parliamentarians will be managing the
country’s response – to deliver benefits and reduce the
impacts of costs and trade-offs New Zealanders will need to
make as emissions are cut.
Horizon surveyed 1,164 respondents aged 18+ nationwide between March 20 and 27, 2018. Quota sampling and weighting were used to achieve a representative sample the adult population at the last census. At a 95% confidence level, the maximum overall margin of error is +/- 2.9%.
An earlier result found New Zealanders’ concerns over climate change at their highest level in 10 years and a majority want all parties in Parliament to agree on plans to act on climate change.
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