Global Warming Cools Off As A Top Concern

Key Findings:

• Pesticide use, packaging waste and water shortage concerns growing fastest
• Major gap between concern and the cash register

Ho Chi Minh City – August 29, 2011 – Concern about climate change/global warming among online consumers around the world took a back-seat to other environmental issues such as air and water pollution, water shortages, packaging waste and use of pesticides, according to Nielsen’s 2011 Global Online Environment & Sustainability Survey of more than 25,000 Internet respondents in 51 countries. 

 Air, water pollution top concerns the latest findings, which were compared to 2007 and 2009 results, show that while 69 percent of global online consumers say they are concerned about climate change/global warming (up from 66 percent in 2009, but down from 72 percent in 2007), concern for other environmental issues are taking a higher priority in the minds of consumers and are rising with greater intensity. Three out of four global consumers rated air pollution (77%) and water pollution (75%) as top concerns, both increasing six percentage points compared to 2009. But the areas where concern is mounting fastest among 73 percent of global online consumers is worry over the use of pesticides, packaging waste and water shortages, with reported concern increasing 16, 14 and 13 percentage points, respectively.  Vietnamese show similar concerns towards water, with 75 percent of consumers concerned about water pollution and 70 percent concerned about water shortage.  (Please see chart for Vietnam and Asia Pacific comparison)

 Top environmental concerns:

  “There are many possible reasons for declines in concern about climate change/global warming. Focus on immediate worries such as job security, local school quality; crime and economic well-being have all diminished media attention for climate stories in the past two years. In the face of other pressing concerns, a public "caring capacity" for climate change has been tested,” said Dr. Maxwell T. Boykoff, Senior Visiting Research Associate, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford. “Without continued attention paid to global warming/climate change in the media, such concerns may have faded from the collective public conscience.

 Global Warming Sceptics and Believers

The study found that there are a number of consumers who are either indifferent or not concerned about this issue. One-in-five global online consumers say they are neither concerned nor unconcerned about climate change/global warming and one-in-ten are not concerned at all. While half (48%) of unconcerned global online consumers cite “more urgent and serious matters in the world today” as the main reason for climate change apathy, 37 percent believe that climate change is not the result of human behavior and 23 percent believe future technologies will solve the problem.

Unlike their global counterparts, 66 percent of Vietnamese believe that there are more urgent and serious matters in the world today.  Twenty-six percent of online Vietnamese also believe humans are not the cause and it is just natural variation and 18 percent believe future technologies will solve the problem. 

 Globally, Latin Americans remain the most concerned about climate change/global warming, at 90 percent up from 85 percent in 2009, while Middle East/Africa consumers posted the highest increase regionally as concern grew from 69 to 80 percent in the two year span.

As for the sharp rise in concern in the Middle East/Africa, “The hot and dry climates in many Middle Eastern and African countries and the widely help perception that temperatures are rising every summer has likely led to an increased concern about climate change and weather variation,” said Ram Mohan Rao, Managing Director, Nielsen Egypt. 

 Climate change/global warming concern increased 10 points in Europe to 68 percent, fell three points in Asia Pacific to 72 percent, and North America was the least concerned region with a two point decline to 50 percent.

 Gap between Concern and the Cash Register

Overall, 83 percent of global online consumers say that it is important that companies implement programs to improve the environment, but only 22 percent say they will pay more for an eco-friendly product. Willingness to pay extra for environmentally-friendly goods is highest in the Middle East/Africa, where one-third of consumers are willing and lowest in North America, where only 12 percent of both Canadians and Americans say they will pay extra for eco-friendly products.  Ninety-one percent of Vietnamese claim it is important for companies to implement programs to improve the environment, four points higher than the Asia Pacific average.  Fifty-two percent of Vietnamese are willing to support the environment by consuming more eco-products even at a relatively higher price.   

  Many consumers reported a personal preference for eco-friendly goods, but large percentages of respondents report setting aside this preference and buying whichever product is cheapest, including 48 percent in North America, 36 percent in Middle East/Africa, 35 percent in Europe, 33 percent in Asia Pacific, and 27 percent in Latin America.

 Global consumers have mixed feelings about the environmental impact and benefits of particular sustainable practices. While 64 percent of consumers, globally, indicated they believe organic products are good for environment, there is wide regional disparity of opinion. 72 percent of Asia Pacific respondents think organic products are environmentally-friendly. Energy efficient products or appliances are preferred by 91 percent of Vietnamese as having a positive impact on the environment, following by products in recycled packaging (84%) and ethically produced or grown products (78%)

 Among other environmental and sustainability efforts manufacturers have taken, recycled packaging and energy efficient products are seen as the most broadly helpful.. Fewer consumers are convinced of the positive environmental impact of local products (59%), fair trade products (51%) and products not tested on animals (44%).

 About the Nielsen Global Online Survey

The Nielsen Global Online Environmental Survey was conducted between March 23 and April 12, 2011 and polled more than 25,000 consumers in 51 countries throughout Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and North America. The sample has quotas based on age and sex for each country based on their Internet users, and is weighted to be representative of Internet consumers and has a maximum margin of error of ±0.6%. This Nielsen survey is based on the behaviour of respondents with online access only. Internet penetration rates vary by country. Nielsen uses a minimum reporting standard of 60 percent Internet penetration or 10M online population for survey inclusion. The Nielsen Global Online Survey, which includes the Global Online Consumer Confidence Survey, was established in 2005.

 About Nielsen

Nielsen Holdings N.V. (NYSE: NLSN) is a global information and measurement company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence, mobile measurement, trade shows and related properties. Nielsen has a presence in approximately 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA and Diemen, the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com.