Confidence in South Africa avoiding a climate disaster declining: survey

South Africans’ confidence that a climate crisis will be averted in their lifetimes has declined, according to a new survey.

The survey, conducted annually by global technology company Epson, measured the opinions and experiences of more than 520 South Africans as part of an international study of climate change around the world.

Confidence levels fell from 58.9% in 2021 to 56.6% in 2022, according to the Epson Climate Reality Barometer.

“The 2021 survey explored the various contributing factors to climate change and humanity’s ability to deal with it effectively, from scientific and government interventions to a slow uptake of renewable energy,” said Epson country manager Timothy Thomas.

“This year’s survey focused on the actions that individuals have taken, or intend to take, to help tackle climate change, from less international business and leisure travel to switching to an electric vehicle, walking or cycling more, switching to renewable energy and using more sustainable brands.”

Globally, climate change is on average ranked third as a priority issue that governments, companies and individuals should be focused on. But in South Africa, according to Epson, it is ranked fourth at 9.4%, behind fixing the economy (40%), tackling poverty (19.9%) and managing inflation (14%).

Findings also suggest that age is a factor, with the oldest age group (55+) most concerned about climate change (more than 15%) and those in the 45–54 and 16–24 age groups the least concerned at under 7% each.

This is despite the impact of climate change witnessed recently, including intense rains affecting the eastern coast of South Africa, resulting in devastating flooding and landslides across KwaZulu-Natal, and widespread droughts in the Eastern and Western Cape. This, the survey noted, suggests a “reality deficit” in people potentially misunderstanding the full future affects of climate change.

Despite the varying issues South Africans believe the government, companies and individuals should be prioritising, many are already playing their part by adopting sustainable habits. For example:

• 32.5% of South Africans have volunteered to travel less internationally, with a further 31.4% planning to do so in future.
• While only 8% have switched to an electric vehicle, 63% are looking to make the change in future.
• More than 60% are already walking and cycling more, reducing their plastic use, improving recycling habits and using reusable goods.
• More than a third (36%) are travelling to the office less, while a quarter are already encouraging their workplaces to commit to further efforts towards a net zero carbon strategy, with nearly half planning to in the future.

“While individual actions are ramping up, and as the world prepares for COP27 in Egypt this year, it’s clear that much more needs to be done if the world is to avert a climate disaster,” said Thomas.

“Governments need to regulate for sustainability, businesses need to develop sustainable policies and technologies, and individuals need to accelerate lifestyle changes — if the world is to meet its climate change targets and avoid irreversible change.”

TimesLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.