Climate change will affect all of us, but it's young people who are the most concerned
New research shows young Kiwis are aware of the urgency of climate change, but the older generation is less convinced. According to a new report by Horizon Research, 78 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds considered climate change to be an immediate problem, compared with 66 per cent of people aged 75 and over. Horizon Research has been tracking public opinion on climate change since 2006. Since then, there has been a significant decrease overall in people who believe climate change action can wait 74 per cent thought that in 2006, but now only 24 per cent do in 2021, despite higher numbers of older people remaining unconcerned. Overall, Kiwis have very little confidence that the world will do enough in the next 10 years to avoid damaging temperature rises. READ MORE: * Survey claims Government's clean car scheme could shift the market * Over one million adults worse off than at start of year, Horizon finds * 7% of Kiwis think they will lose job in next year and struggle to find another The results are from a survey of 1097 people aged 18 and over, representing the New Zealand adult population at the most recent census. Seventy-eight per cent of adults think temperature rises due to climate change are unavoidable. Only 15 per cent think we can turn things around in time, and the rest arent sure. Wellington City Councillor Tamatha Paul said while the older generation sometimes likened climate change to the existential threats the world had faced, and conquered, in the past nuclear weapons, wars, diseases climate change was a different beast. We know that climate change is happening now, and needs investment now, she said. The younger generation had much at stake. The obvious concern is that we are the ones that will be faced with the effects, she said. Frustratingly, many of the decision makers in society were in the older age bracket, and so progress was too slow for the liking of younger activists, who were often ridiculed for their fear of the future. Most people my age, have some kind of climate anxiety, Paul said. The scariest thing for me is thinking about those most vulnerable communities will be affected. In places like the Pacific, communities werent given the luxury of doubt the effects of climate change were playing out on their doorsteps. For them, its a now problem. The online survey was conducted by Horizon Research between November 17 and 27, 2021. It is weighted by age, gender personal income, and employment status to reflect the census population.