Most Spaniards think that climate change is the main threat in the world | Society
"In Spain there is no doubt about the existence of climate change, no credibility would be given to a denial speech about it. There is absolute confidence in the scientists and their conclusions and support for them to define the objectives, "concludes Carmen González Enriquez, researcher of a study conducted by the Elcano Royal Institute on global warming. 56% of the 1,000 people interviewed in the survey conducted by think-tank of international and strategic studies they placed climate change as the biggest threat facing the world, ahead of armed conflicts that appear as a second concern. "It was a question of spontaneous answer, without any answer being suggested," says González Enriquez. The survey was conducted by telephone between April 8 and 26 of this year.
The study also determines that the environmental awareness of Spaniards is similar to that of other similar, developed and western countries. Spain stands at 3.69 points on an internationally used scale of environmental concern that reaches a maximum of 5 points; United States at 3.81; Norway in 3.69 and Sweden in 4.22. At the same time, there is high knowledge about global warming and its causes, which are attributed to human activity. The interviewees consider, at the same time, that the current institutional and political commitments They are insufficient. However, they are less aware of their individual responsibility. 72% charge the inks against companies, 69% blame the Government and 67% blame other countries, but when talking about the responsibility of "each one of us", the perception of guilt falls to 54%.
In this sense, not everyone would be willing to face a tax increase to act against climate change: 44% said no. However, 60% of people who own a vehicle would assume an increase in traffic tax, which the study figures at an average of 46 euros per year. The interviewees believe that the funds that are destined to mitigate the impact of warming should be directed first to plant trees and better care for forests; then to improve the knowledge of droughts, heat waves ... and, finally, to improve the insulation of houses and increase fire fighting equipment. The survey offered these three options.
Women are more aware that their behavior, activities or lifestyle affect climate change, 61% compared to 47 men. The concern is low in people who live in small towns with less than 5,000 inhabitants. "It is logical, there the pollution is less perceived and the car is used a lot because there is no good public transport," qualifies the researcher.
According to the political ideology, the interviewees located more to the left have greater ecological awareness and declare themselves in favor of promulgating rules that require changing the behaviors that cause climate change. But, despite the discrepancies, there is a consensus that the problem is serious and that it is necessary to solve it, for example, with the approval of a climate change law, pending in Parliament. "There are very significant differences in ambition and objectives depending on the political color, but the consensus is there. This gives some hope that we will ever fulfill our commitments," said Lara Lázaro, another of the researchers of the study .
González Enriquez recalls that the concern about climate change also appears in other national and international surveys conducted by the Elcano Institute.
