Since 2007, The Climate Institute has conducted comprehensive quantitative and qualitative research into Australian attitudes to climate change and its solutions. More information can be found on The Climate institute's website: www.climateinstitute.org.au/climate-of-the-nation-2013.html

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The
Climate
Institute
Climate of the Nation 2013

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“In mid 2013, we find that two-thirds of Australians think that climate change is
occurring and almost all of them believe that it is impacting Australia
now…People are genuinely worried about the cost impacts of extreme weather
and climate change.”
John Connor
CEO, The Climate Institute
Climate of the Nation 2013
This presentation summarises The Climate Institute’s report, Climate of the Nation 2013, which benchmarks public
attitudes on climate change. The report draws on qualitative (focus groups) research and nationally representative
quantitative (poll) research conducted in early June 2013.
Images: Michael Hall, Creative Fellow
of The Climate Institute
July 2013

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Background
Since 2007, The Climate Institute has conducted comprehensive research into Australian attitudes to
climate change and related policies, published via its Climate of the Nation reports.
This year’s report builds off a quantitative poll conducted in early June and rolling qualitative research
between September 2012 and May 2013. The 2012 research was conducted in the heat of the toxic
debate leading up to the introduction of the carbon laws and serves to benchmark current views.

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Key Findings
87% of people who think that
climate change is occurring believe that
Australia is feeling the impacts of climate
change today.
87% of people place solar energy in
their top three choices for energy
sources; 67% have wind in their top
three.
71% agree that tackling
climate change creates new jobs
and investment in clean energy
66% of people think that climate change is occurring.
58% of people think Australia
should be a leader in finding solutions
to climate change; up 6% from 2012
43% think that now that
carbon pricing has been
introduced, it should be given a
chance to work for at least a few
years.
26% think Labor has an effective
climate plan; 19% think the Coalition does.

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• Two-thirds of Australians think that climate change is occurring and almost all of them believe that
it is impacting Australia now.
• People are genuinely worried about the cost impacts of extreme weather and climate change on
everyday concerns such as crop production and food supply, insurance premiums, water
shortages and climate refugees.
• Climate change is not perceived as a major issue in this election, but it is also clear that there is
no basis from which to call the election a “referendum on the carbon tax”.
• Only around a third of Australians think that the carbon laws should be repealed and more
oppose a double dissolution to get rid of them than support one. In fact the “carbon tax” itself is
not a major reason for supporting a Coalition vote. “Economic mismanagement”, “lies and
incompetence” and the “carbon tax lie” are cited as far stronger reasons.
• Opposition to carbon pricing is dropping. While support remains soft, it strengthens significantly
when the policy is explained.
• A year into the laws, there is evidence that Australians do not believe that carbon pricing has
been as financially detrimental as they anticipated. This holds true at both the household and
national level.
• More people want to give carbon pricing a go than get rid of it.
Key Findings

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• More Australians want greater action and leadership than in recent years.
• More people than in recent years agree that Australia should be a world leader in finding solutions
to climate change is significantly higher, and in fact higher than in April 2010, immediately prior to
the deferral of emissions trading legislation.
• Despite the toxic politics, 60 per cent still think the Federal Government should be playing a
leading role. Only 6-8 per cent of Australians believe that local, state or federal government should
take no action.
• Strong majorities recognise that doing nothing on climate change will increase the risks and that
there are economic opportunities in acting in areas like renewable energy.
Significantly, appreciation of the economic benefits and jobs associated with a strong renewable
energy industry is not contingent on acceptance of climate change, or even that humans are
responsible for it.
• Despite some attacks on renewable energy, wind in particular, there is overwhelming support for
renewables. That enthusiasm is high across Labor, Green and Coalition voters.
• Support this year is even stronger for wind and solar as preferred energy sources. Support for
both nuclear and coal has declined, while Australians remain divided over gas.
• Results from the focus groups and national poll behind Climate of the Nation 2013 indicate a clear
acceptance that climate change is happening and that humans are contributing to it. Twice as
many trust the science than don’t.
Key Findings

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The majority of Australians remain concerned about climate change, although it
is not a top priority for voters this election year.
Attitudes to climate change
The key issues Australians want their government to focus on in mid-2013 are addressing the high
cost of living (69%) and the economy and jobs (62%). Climate change was on the list back in 2007.
While climate change isn’t a key issue, the majority of Australians (53%) continue to be concerned
about climate change.
• Women are more concerned about climate change than men (56% vs. 50%).
• Concern drops with age. While 55% of Australians aged 18-34 are concerned, that proportion
drops to 53% among those 35-54 years of age and 51% among those 55 and older.

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What’s your top priority?
This graphic is made up of priority
topics as listed by participants in
focus groups for Climate of the Nation
2013 research, held in metropolitan
Brisbane and Western Sydney in late
May. The size of the words indicates
how frequently they were mentioned.

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A large majority believe that climate change is occurring, caused at least in part
by man, and most think the impact is already being felt in Australia
Attitudes to climate change
A majority of Australians (66%, up 2 points since 2012) continue to believe that climate change is
occurring. Only 15% (down 2 points) deny it.
Among those who believe climate change is occurring, 87% believe that Australia is feeling the
impacts of climate change.
Of those who believe climate change is occurring, 87% think that humans are complicit.
• 18-34 year olds are more likely to believe that humans are the main cause (38% vs. 33% among
35-54 year olds and 26% among 55+ year olds)
• Green voters (55%) are most likely to think humans are at least in part to blame, followed by
Labor voters (38%), and Coalition voters (24%).
The majority (57%) of Australians think that climate change poses a serious threat to our way of life
over the coming decades. This concern rises to 63% among 18-34 year olds.

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Australians are confused about the science of climate change
Attitudes to climate change
A majority (60%) agree there are too many conflicting opinions for the public to be sure about claims
made around climate change; only 18% disagree.
Trust rust in the science behind climate change remains relatively low, with less than 1 in 2 (46%)
Australians reporting that they trust the science.
Some 39% of Australians believe that the seriousness of climate change is exaggerated.
• Men are more likely to believe it is exaggerated (45%) than women (35%).
• Older Australians aged 55+ are more likely to believe it is exaggerated (45%) than 18-34 year
olds (34%).
• 56% of Coalition voters believe climate change is exaggerated.

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Concerns
What concerns us most about climate change?
Climate change is no longer considered a future issue. A majority of Australians feel
that climate change is impacting their nation already.

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Addressing climate change
Solar, wind and hydro are Australian’s most preferred energy sources.
Australians overwhelmingly support renewable
energy both in terms of emission reduction and in
ideal energy mix.
87% prefer solar energy.
• Views on solar are divergent among sexes. It is
the most preferred energy source among
women, 93% of who ranked it as top choice
compared to 80% of men.
Wind energy is second preferred.
• Again views differentiated among the sexes with
women being bigger supporters. 73% of women
ranked wind as their second preferred energy
source, compared to 60% of men.
• Despite vigorous campaigns against wind in
some of the regions, wind is in fact more popular
in regional areas (70%) than in cities (65%).

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71%
of people see new jobs
and investment in clean
energy resulting from
Australia acting on
climate change.

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Addressing climate change
Addressing climate change via renewable energy is seen as a win-win for
Australia’s own energy usage and its economic well-being.
The top three policies ranked as “most effective” in addressing climate change are:
increasing the proportion of renewables into Australia’s energy mix; increasing energy
efficiency of industry; and increasing energy efficiency of households.
63% think that responding to climate change presents a unique economic opportunity for
Australia in the development and sale of renewable energy technology.
71% think that tackling climate change creates opportunities for new jobs and investment
and renewable energy.
Just under a third (29%) of Australians think Australia’s renewable energy target (RET) is
just right. But more (40%) think that it should be higher.
• Young people are the most supportive (43%) of a higher RET, with the proportion of
support dropping to 41% among those aged 35-54, and 35% among Australians over
55 years of age.

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Addressing climate change
Views on carbon pricing
+ While support for carbon
pricing is not
strong, opposition has
diminished significantly.
There is a willingness to
give carbon pricing a go.
+ The proportion of
Australians who strongly
disagree with the
statement “I support the
carbon pricing laws” has
dropped to 20 per
cent, down from 30 per
cent in 2012, but only 28
per cent agree with the
statement.
+ Support improves if carbon pricing is explained. A majority (51
per cent) “would support carbon pricing if all the money raised
goes to support low and middle income households and
Australian businesses and renewable energy investment.”
+ Today, despite the toxic politics, more Australians think that
having carbon pricing is better than not taking action (42 per
cent), compared to those (26 per cent) who disagree.

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Addressing climate change
Views on carbon pricing
+ Only a third (37 per cent) of Australians believe that
the Coalition should repeal carbon pricing if it is
elected to government at the next Federal election.
That is down from 48 per cent in an Ipsos poll of late
May 2012.
+ There is no mandate for a double dissolution if the
Coalition fails to get the carbon laws
abolished, with considerably more people against
a double dissolution election (43 per cent) than for
one (34 per cent).

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Business views
“A carbon price with cost effective complementary measures is critical to reducing
Australia‟s emissions.”
AECOM National Business Survey
+ Business views are even more entrenched in favour of a
carbon price than those of the general public.
+ A national survey covering a broad range of
sectors, including liable entities, found that 99 per cent of
respondents agreed that Australia should aim to reduce its
carbon emissions, with 87 per cent saying they strongly
agreed.
+ When asked whether they supported a price-based
mechanism to reduce carbon emissions, 65 per cent of
respondents indicated support for an emissions trading
scheme with a floating price, while a carbon tax with a
fixed price was supported by 29 per cent.

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Voice of the people
GRANT IRVING, BYRON BAY
What are your views on the
carbon tax?
I like the carbon tax because I
think it’s gonna have to keep
them … responsible for what
they do. And if the carbon tax is
gonna stop them from making
stuff [that pollutes], then that’s
good.
SIOBHAN JAMISON, SYDNEY
What are your views on the
carbon tax?
I really don’t know that much
about it … They are giving us
small options to say that they are
doing something, but they are
really not doing enough with how
much climate change is
happening. So they need to do
more.
GARY DUNN, URALLA
What are your views on the
carbon tax?
I think there are other ways to
tax. The carbon tax hasn’t
helped at all.
In June, photographer Michael Hall
asked people around Sydney and
rural NSW what they think about the
„carbon tax‟. Here is what they said.

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Responsibility
The federal government and international alliances such as the UN are identified as
the groups most responsible for leading on climate action. Both groups, but
especially the Federal government, are expected to inspire others to take action.
Nearly two-thirds (60%) of Australians think that the Federal Government should be taking a leading
role in taking action on climate change.
Half (51%) think that global alliances and groups such as the United Nations should be responsible for
leadership on climate action.
Only 6% of Australians thought that the Federal government should not take action, and only 7%t
thought that there is no leadership role for international alliances.
In focus groups, participants identify a global, legally binding effort as the only way in which climate
change will ever truly be addressed.

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Responsibility
Who is
responsible,
and is their
performance
up to par?

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Leadership
Australians have a bigger appetite for their nation to
be a leader on finding solutions to climate change
than in previous years. 58% share this view this
year, up 6 points form last year and on the up swing
for the first time since 2008.
Last year, 37% of people felt Australia shouldn’t act
until other large emitters like China or the US do.
This year ambition is stronger, with only 28% of
people feeling that Australia shouldn’t act until
others do.
Nearly half of Australians (46%) agree that a 25%
reduction on Australia’s 2000 greenhouse emissions
by 2020 is achievable and affordable. That’s up from
a third (33%) last year.
62% think that ignoring climate change is simply not
an answer anymore.

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Doing my bit
• Australians look to governments and business for
leadership on climate change but they also believe that
the response to climate change starts at home.
• Australians feel a personal responsibility - “doing my
bit” - when it comes to contributing to climate change
action. 65% believe that individuals can contribute to
addressing climate change.
• In terms of the most effective personal
actions, Australians rank planting trees and insulating
their homes as the most effective. These actions were
followed in popularity by installing solar panels and
recycling.
Putting the ‘I’ in climate change

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Voice of the people
GRANT IRVING, BYRON BAY
What causes climate change?
Humans.
What would you do if you had the
power to mitigate climate change?
Stop creating plastics.
SIOBHAN JAMISON, SYDNEY
What causes climate change?
It’s an issue namely because of
society’s way of using things and
putting them away…all that stuff
going to waste…so I think it’s
us to blame.
What would you do if you had
the power to mitigate climate
change?
If I were in charge I’d have more
changes, like better public
transport and those kinds of
things. More recycling. Less
products using plastic, get rid of
it … keep it all nice and clean.
GARY DUNN, URALLA
What causes climate change?
A combination of
deforestation, probably a fair bit.
But it has to do a lot with the
burning of coal and other fuels.
What would you do if you had
the power to mitigate climate
change?
We need the whole world to
cooperate. We can’t have China
building coal power stations and
everything and sending Australia
broke and closing everything
down, because we can’t burn
any fuels here. So we have to
get everyone worldwide to
comply.
In June, photographer Michael Hall
asked people around Sydney and rural
NSW what they think about climate
change and how they would address the
problem. Here is what they said.

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What portion
of climate
change is due
to human
activity?
In mid-June, we asked some 40 people around Sydney whether they thought that humans were
contributing to climate change. These were their responses. Videos documenting their views in full can
be viewed at vimeo.com/TheClimateInstitute
Vox

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More information
Visit www.climateinstitute.org.au/
climate-of-the-nation-2013.html
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