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Attitudes to climate change and COP26

9 Nov 2021

Q. The UN climate summit (COP26) started on October 31 in Glasgow, Scotland. During the summit, world leaders are expected to develop the next emissions standards to slow global warming and keep temperature rise below 1.5C.

Australia is one of 200 countries expected to outline their emissions reduction goals for 2030.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

TOTAL: Agree 08/11 11/10
Australian businesses have the opportunity to develop expertise in renewable energy and innovative technologies that other countries will demand 71% 64%
Australian manufacturing could benefit from cheap electricity if more solar and wind farms were built 69% 63%
Australia cannot afford to be locked out of the EU or other trade markets for failing to adopt a net zero emissions by 2050 target 66% 57%
Australia needs to follow other countries’ lead and make climate change a priority, or risk being left behind 65% 57%

 

  TOTAL:

Agree

TOTAL:

Disagree

Strongly agree Somewhat agree Neither agree nor disagree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
Australian businesses have the opportunity to develop expertise in renewable energy and innovative technologies that other countries will demand 71% 6% 35% 35% 23% 4% 2%
Australian manufacturing could benefit from cheap electricity if more solar and wind farms were built 69% 9% 37% 33% 21% 5% 5%
Australia cannot afford to be locked out of the EU or other trade markets for failing to adopt a net zero emissions by 2050 target 66% 8% 33% 33% 25% 5% 3%
Australia needs to follow other countries’ lead and make climate change a priority, or risk being left behind 65% 12% 34% 32% 23% 7% 5%

 

TOTAL: Agree Total Gender Age Group Federal Voting Intention
Male Female 18-34 35-54 55+ Labor TOTAL: Coalition Greens TOTAL: Other
Australian businesses have the opportunity to develop expertise in renewable energy and innovative technologies that other countries will demand 71% 70% 72% 59% 70% 81% 75% 74% 75% 64%
Australian manufacturing could benefit from cheap electricity if more solar and wind farms were built 69% 66% 73% 62% 72% 74% 76% 70% 77% 55%
Australia cannot afford to be locked out of the EU or other trade markets for failing to adopt a net zero emissions by 2050 target 66% 63% 69% 57% 66% 74% 71% 66% 76% 60%
Australia needs to follow other countries’ lead and make climate change a priority, or risk being left behind 65% 63% 67% 58% 70% 66% 71% 66% 79% 50%
Base (n) 1,089 534 555 336 374 379 354 401 106 125
  • Since the exposure of COP26, more people are engaged with both the opportunities and threats from the country not acting on climate change and reducing emissions.
  • 71% now agree that Australian businesses have the opportunity to develop expertise in renewable energy and innovative technologies that other countries will demand, up from 64% last month. Similarly, agreement that Australian manufacturing could benefit from cheap electricity if more solar and wind farms were built has increased from 63% to 69%.
  • At the same time, agreement with the risks of not acting have increased. 66% agree that Australia cannot afford to be locked out of the EU or other trade markets for failing to adopt a net zero emissions by 2050 target (up from 57% before the summit) and 65% agree that Australia needs to follow other countries’ lead and make climate change a priority, or risk being left behind.
  • Those voting Labor and Greens are more likely than those voting Coalition or other to agree with the risks of not acting on climate change.
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