A large section of Indians 'concerned' about global warming

A majority of the Indian population is 'alarmed’ (54%) – the group most convinced of the reality and dangers of global warming

Large majorities of the Indian public are "alarmed" or "concerned" about global warming, according to a new report from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and CVoter International.

The report, titled “Global Warming’s Four Indias, 2022” identifies four unique audiences within the Indian public that each responds differently to the issue of climate change: "alarmed", "concerned", "cautious", and "disengaged", according to a press statement issued here on Thursday.

A majority of the Indian population is 'alarmed’ (54 per cent) – the group most convinced of the reality and dangers of global warming.

The ‘concerned’ (29 per cent) are also convinced global warming is happening and a serious threat but know less about it and view it as a less immediate threat than do the ‘alarmed.’ The ‘alarmed’ are the most supportive of political and national action to address global warming and are motivated to take individual action.

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The two smaller segments are the ‘cautious’ (11 per cent) and ‘disengaged’ (7 per cent). The ‘cautious' think global warming is happening but are less certain of the causes and are less likely to view it as a serious, immediate threat that will personally affect them.

They support climate and energy policies but are less supportive of national action and less motivated to take individual action compared with the ‘alarmed’ and ‘concerned’. The ‘disengaged’ know very little about global warming, rarely or never engage with the issue, and often say they don’t know or provide no response to questions about it.

“One of the first rules of effective communication is to ‘know your audience’,” said Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz, project co-lead at the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.

“This analysis should help governments, journalists, companies, and advocates better understand and engage their key audiences on the issue of climate change and its solutions.”

“Majorities in all four segments have noticed changes in local weather patterns, including rainfall,” said Dr Jagadish Thaker, project co-lead at the University of Queensland. “The report also illustrates how social and economic inequalities increase climate vulnerability among diverse Indian populations.”

“The message from the report to the Indian public is clear: Indians of all kinds are concerned about climate change, support climate policies, and want leadership from their governments. It is time for all stakeholders to come together and take urgent action to address this pressing issue. The implications of this report for India are significant, as it shows that the majority of the Indian public is concerned about global warming and supports climate and energy policies,” said Dr Anjal Prakash, Associate Professor (Research) and Research Director at the Bharti Institute of Public Policy at ISB.

“Clearly climate is no longer a niche issue limited to the elite audience as was always believed. This report is a clear and loud signal for all stakeholders -- policymakers, businesses, and civil society -- to organise themselves to respond to a population which is demanding urgent and informed climate action,” adds Aarti Khosla, Director, Climate Trends.