o examine the world’s environmental challenges, Ipsos Global Advisor has studied public sentiment on a bevy of environmental issues across 28 countries. In recent years, global warming has become a hot topic on the international policy stage. Unsurprisingly, it comes in tied with two other topics as the top environmental issue that worries global respondents. When asked what three environmental issues out of a list of 15 are most worrisome, 30% of respondents cited global warming, air pollution, or dealing with waste as the most concerning environmental problem. In other words, the list of legitimate environmental concerns is so long, it is difficult to reach a global consensus on which issue should be tackled first.
3. 30%
30%
30%
24%
24%
23%
21%
14%
14%
14%
13%
12%
12%
11%
6%
6%
2%
Global warming or climate change
Air pollution
Dealing with waste
Water pollution
Future energy sources and supplies
Deforestation
Natural resource depletion
Overpopulation
Wildlife conservation
Poor quality drinking water
Future food sources and supplies
Emissions
Flooding
Over-packaging of consumer goods
Soil erosion
Don't know
None of these
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
[TOPIC] is a topthree environmental issue
Q. In your view, what are the
three most important
environmental issues facing
[COUNTRY] today? That is, the
top environmental issues you
feel should receive the greatest
attention from your local
leaders?
Top environmental
issues around the world
• Acrossthe world, global
warming/climate change,
air pollution, and dealing
with waste are the top
three environmental issues
of concern.
• Meanwhile, soil erosion,
over-packaged consumer
goods, flooding, and
emissions are reported as
less concerning issues.
4. Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
Top Issues in Each
Country
W
O
R
L
D
A
R
G
B
E
L
M
E
X
P
O
L
R
U
S
S
A
U
Z
A
F
K
O
R
S
W
E
T
U
R
H
U
N
A
U
S
B
R
A
C
A
N
C
H
N
F
R
A
D
E
U
G
B
R
I
N
D
I
T
A
J
P
N
E
S
P
U
S
A
P
E
R
C
H
L
M
Y
S
R
O
U
S
R
B
Globalwarming 1 2 2 3 3 1 1 1 3 2 3 1 1 2 3 2
Air pollution 1 1 3 1 3 3 1 1 1 2 3 1 2 2 1 3 3
Water pollution 3 1 2 2 3 1 2
Overpopulation 2 3 3
Dealing with waste 1 3 3 1 3 3 2 2 3 2 3 3 1 1 2 3 2 2 1
Emissions 2
De-forestation 1 2 1 1 3 1
Soilerosion
Wildlifeconservation
Depletionofnatural
resources
2 2 2 2
Over-packaging of
consumer goods
Poor qualitydrinking
water
1 3
Flooding 2 1
Future energy supplies
and sources
2 1 1 1 3 2 2 1 3
Future food supplies
and sources
3
Q. In your view, what are the
three most important
environmental issues facing
[COUNTRY] today? That is, the
top environmental issues you
feel should receive the greatest
attention from your local
leaders?
Top environmental
issues around the world
• Global warming, air pollution,
and dealing with waste tie for
the top issue around the world.
• These issues are also
mentioned as a top-three issue
in the most countries.
• De-forestation is only a top-
three issue in six countries. But
for countries who label it a top-
three issue, it is most likely to
be the most pressing issue.
5. 30%
45%
44%
40%
39%
39%
37%
37%
37%
36%
36%
35%
35%
33%
32%
32%
29%
29%
28%
26%
24%
24%
24%
23%
22%
21%
20%
14%
10%
World
Spain
South Korea
France
Peru
Canada
Sweden
Chile
United States
Germany
India
Australia
Japan
Hungary
Mexico
Malaysia
Turkey
Great Britain
Italy
Belgium
South Africa
Brazil
China
Romania
Saudi Arabia
Poland
Argentina
Serbia
Russia
Global warmingor climatechange is a topthree environmentalissue
Q. In your view, what are the
three most important
environmental issues facing
[COUNTRY] today? That is, the
top environmental issues you
feel should receive the greatest
attention from your local
leaders? – Global warming
Global warming or
climate change
• Global warming, or climate
change, is the observation
that the Earth has seen an
average global temperature
increase over recent
centuries. Scientists expect
these changes to have a
corresponding effect on the
weather and climate
systems of the Earth.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
9. 24%
43%
40%
39%
32%
31%
30%
29%
29%
28%
27%
27%
27%
27%
25%
25%
24%
24%
22%
21%
21%
20%
16%
15%
15%
12%
11%
8%
7%
World
Japan
Australia
Sweden
Belgium
Saudi Arabia
Germany
Great Britain
Turkey
South Africa
South Korea
Italy
Hungary
United States
Argentina
Spain
Poland
Canada
Chile
Malaysia
China
Serbia
Romania
India
France
Mexico
Peru
Russia
Brazil
Future energy sources andsupplies are a topthreeenvironmental issue
Q. In your view, what are the
three most important
environmental issues facing
[COUNTRY] today? That is, the
top environmental issues you
feel should receive the greatest
attention from your local
leaders? – Future energy sources
and supplies
Future energy sources
and supplies
• Some energy sourcestake
millions of years to develop
and are depleted after one
use.
• Energy use of this form has
a finite supply, whether it
be in the short term or the
long term.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
11. 21%
39%
37%
35%
29%
27%
27%
25%
25%
24%
23%
23%
23%
22%
22%
20%
20%
20%
18%
18%
17%
16%
16%
14%
14%
12%
10%
10%
9%
World
Turkey
Chile
Mexico
Spain
South Africa
China
Saudi Arabia
Peru
France
United States
Brazil
Canada
Argentina
Australia
Romania
Malaysia
Serbia
Germany
Japan
Italy
India
Russia
Great Britain
Hungary
Sweden
Poland
South Korea
Belgium
Natural resourcedepletionis a topthree environmental issue
Q. In your view, what are the
three most important
environmental issues facing
[COUNTRY] today? That is, the
top environmental issues you
feel should receive the greatest
attention from your local
leaders? – Natural resource
depletion
Natural resource
depletion
• Natural resource depletion is a
difficult discussion topic.
• On the one hand natural
resources are finite and rarely
replenish at a sustainable rate
compared to their demand.
• On the other hand, though,
they are necessary to produce
goods and services needed
across the entire global
population.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
12. 14%
33%
32%
30%
29%
25%
19%
18%
18%
15%
14%
14%
14%
13%
13%
13%
11%
10%
9%
8%
8%
7%
7%
6%
5%
4%
4%
3%
1%
World
South Africa
Turkey
India
Great Britain
Australia
Mexico
Peru
Belgium
United States
China
Saudi Arabia
Chile
Sweden
France
Germany
South Korea
Poland
Malaysia
Italy
Canada
Spain
Argentina
Brazil
Japan
Hungary
Russia
Serbia
Romania
Overpopulation is a topthree environmentalissue
Q. In your view, what are the
three most important
environmental issues facing
[COUNTRY] today? That is, the
top environmental issues you
feel should receive the greatest
attention from your local
leaders? – Overpopulation
Overpopulation
• As the global population
grows, so too will
competition for space and
resources.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
13. 14%
25%
24%
23%
23%
22%
22%
22%
19%
19%
18%
16%
15%
15%
14%
14%
13%
12%
12%
11%
11%
10%
8%
7%
7%
7%
6%
6%
5%
World
Sweden
France
Belgium
Russia
Australia
Canada
Germany
South Africa
United States
Great Britain
Poland
Argentina
Saudi Arabia
Mexico
Peru
Brazil
Chile
Hungary
Malaysia
Spain
India
Romania
Turkey
China
Italy
Serbia
Japan
South Korea
Wildlife conservationis a topthree environmental issue
Q. In your view, what are the
three most important
environmental issues facing
[COUNTRY] today? That is, the
top environmental issues you
feel should receive the greatest
attention from your local
leaders? – Wildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation
• According to theWorld
Wildlife Foundation, the
number of wild animals on
Earth has halved in the past
40 years.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
14. 14%
44%
35%
26%
21%
21%
19%
18%
18%
17%
16%
15%
15%
14%
13%
12%
12%
11%
10%
9%
9%
9%
7%
7%
6%
5%
5%
3%
2%
World
South Africa
Serbia
Russia
Hungary
India
United States
Saudi Arabia
China
Mexico
Brazil
Peru
Malaysia
Argentina
Chile
Canada
Italy
Poland
Turkey
Sweden
Romania
Spain
Belgium
France
Germany
Australia
South Korea
Great Britain
Japan
Poor quality drinkingwater is a topthree environmental issue
Q. In your view, what are the
three most important
environmental issues facing
[COUNTRY] today? That is, the
top environmental issues you
feel should receive the greatest
attention from your local
leaders? – Poor quality drinking
water
Poor quality drinking
water
• CapeTown, SouthAfrica
has been mired in a three-
year drought.
• This drought and the
infrastructure within Cape
Town has citizens facing a
real possibility of not
having clean water fordaily
use in the near future.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
15. 13%
30%
28%
22%
18%
17%
17%
17%
16%
16%
14%
14%
14%
13%
12%
12%
10%
10%
10%
9%
7%
7%
6%
6%
6%
6%
6%
6%
5%
World
South Africa
Japan
Turkey
United States
Malaysia
Sweden
Saudi Arabia
China
Australia
Canada
Serbia
Russia
Belgium
South Korea
Great Britain
India
Germany
Hungary
France
Italy
Argentina
Peru
Romania
Chile
Poland
Spain
Mexico
Brazil
Future food sources andsupplies are a topthree environmentalissue
Q. In your view, what are the
three most important
environmental issues facing
[COUNTRY] today? That is, the
top environmental issues you
feel should receive the greatest
attention from your local
leaders? – Future food sources
and supplies
Future food sources and
supplies
• The global population is
expected to continue
growing and to need to
produce greater and greater
quantities of food.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
27. 45%
31%
28%
23%
23%
22%
12%
7%
Forcing government spending to improve the range of recyclable
items
Taxing shops that use these products
Taxing these products to increase their price
The government "naming and shaming" shops that use a lot of
these products
Public information campaigning
Fining households that do not recycle enough
Don't know
None of these
Q. Which if any of the following
do you think would be effective
at reducing the problems caused
by unnecessary use of plastic
and packaging that cannot be
recycled?
Potential policy actions
This policy would be effective in reducingthe use ofnon-recyclable products
• A plurality of global
respondents believe
increased government
spending would help reduce
the use of non-recyclable
products.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
30. 28%
47%
42%
41%
37%
37%
37%
35%
34%
33%
31%
30%
28%
28%
27%
27%
27%
26%
26%
25%
25%
24%
22%
20%
20%
19%
18%
15%
14%
World
China
Great Britain
India
Chile
South Korea
Sweden
Argentina
Peru
Serbia
Australia
Turkey
South Africa
Germany
Poland
Romania
Canada
Malaysia
Mexico
Spain
United States
Belgium
Saudi Arabia
Japan
Hungary
Italy
France
Brazil
Russia
Q. Which if any of the following
do you think would be effective
at reducing the problems caused
by unnecessary use of plastic
and packaging that cannot be
recycled? – A tax on containers
such as plastic drinks, bottles,
and disposable coffee cups that
cannot be recycled to increase
their price
Taxing non-recyclables
This policy would be effective in reducingthe use ofnon-recyclable products
• Taxing non-recyclable
containers would put the
onus of reduction on the
consumers of these goods.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
32. 23%
40%
38%
37%
37%
37%
34%
33%
30%
29%
26%
25%
25%
23%
23%
22%
21%
20%
20%
19%
18%
15%
14%
14%
12%
11%
11%
10%
9%
World
Chile
Great Britain
Peru
India
Turkey
China
Argentina
Russia
Mexico
France
South Africa
Romania
Spain
Australia
Saudi Arabia
Canada
Brazil
Germany
Malaysia
Belgium
Italy
Serbia
Poland
South Korea
United States
Japan
Sweden
Hungary
Q. Which if any of the following
do you think would be effective
at reducing the problems caused
by unnecessary use of plastic
and packaging that cannot be
recycled? –The government
“naming and shaming”
supermarkets and shops which
use a lot of packaging that
cannot be recycled
The government
“naming and shaming”
bad businesses
This policy would be effective in reducingthe use ofnon-recyclable products
• “Naming and shaming”
culpable businessescould
incentivize decreased use if
the negative publicity
begins to have an effect on
sales.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
33. 22%
37%
35%
35%
31%
28%
28%
28%
28%
27%
25%
24%
23%
23%
22%
21%
21%
20%
20%
19%
19%
17%
15%
15%
14%
13%
13%
12%
12%
World
China
India
Malaysia
Turkey
Peru
South Korea
Mexico
Italy
Brazil
Romania
Chile
South Africa
Great Britain
Argentina
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Poland
France
Canada
Germany
Belgium
United States
Hungary
Japan
Australia
Spain
Sweden
Russia
Q. Which if any of the following
do you think would be effective
at reducing the problems caused
by unnecessary use of plastic
and packaging that cannot be
recycled? – Big fines for
householders who do not recycle
enough of their rubbish
Fines for households
that do not recycle
enough
This policy would be effective in reducingthe use ofnon-recyclable products
• A fine policy would require
investment in the
infrastructure that provides
householdsthe opportunity
to recycle.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
35. 53%
47%
36%
18%
12%
12%
10%
5%
Re-using disposable items
Buy products made from recycled materials
Stop buying goods that have non-recyclable packaging
Stop going to shops that use a lot of non-recyclable packaging
Pay more tax so recycling facilities can be improved
Pay extra for goods without non-recyclable packaging
Don't know
None of these
Q. Which if any of the following
would you personally do to
reduce the problems caused by
unnecessary use of plastic and
packaging that cannot be
recycled?
Personal actions
around the world
• More than half of global
respondents would re-use
their disposable items to
help cut down on waste.
I would personally dothis to reduce the problems caused by unnecessary
use of plasticand packagingthatcannotberecycled
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
36. 53%
76%
70%
68%
66%
66%
64%
63%
60%
58%
57%
56%
55%
54%
53%
53%
50%
50%
50%
49%
49%
48%
45%
44%
43%
39%
39%
36%
29%
World
Chile
Mexico
Argentina
Great Britain
South Africa
Peru
Australia
Spain
Canada
United States
Malaysia
Belgium
China
Poland
Sweden
India
Brazil
Romania
Hungary
France
South Korea
Italy
Russia
Germany
Serbia
Turkey
Saudi Arabia
Japan
Q. Which if any of the following
would you personally do to
reduce the problems caused by
unnecessary use of plastic and
packaging that cannot be
recycled? - Re-use disposable
items such as plastic bags and
plastic bottles
Re-using disposable
items
I would personally dothis to reduce the problems caused by unnecessary
use of plasticand packagingthatcannotberecycled
• National Geographic
estimates that 40 percent
of plastic produced is used
once and then discarded.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
40. 12%
27%
26%
24%
23%
18%
15%
15%
14%
14%
13%
12%
11%
11%
11%
11%
11%
10%
10%
9%
9%
8%
8%
7%
7%
6%
6%
5%
3%
World
China
Turkey
India
Romania
Serbia
Sweden
United States
Saudi Arabia
Poland
Australia
Great Britain
Peru
Chile
Canada
South Africa
Malaysia
Argentina
Brazil
South Korea
Mexico
Germany
Hungary
Russia
Italy
Spain
Belgium
Japan
France
Q. Which if any of the following
would you personally do to
reduce the problems caused by
unnecessary use of plastic and
packaging that cannot be
recycled? - Pay more tax so
recycling facilities can be
improved, allowing a wider
range of items to be recycled
Pay higher taxes
I would personally dothis to reduce the problems caused by unnecessary
use of plasticand packagingthatcannotberecycled
• Paying higher taxes would
aid the government in
recycling facility
investment.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
41. 12%
28%
23%
18%
17%
16%
15%
14%
13%
13%
13%
12%
12%
12%
12%
12%
12%
12%
11%
11%
10%
9%
9%
9%
8%
8%
7%
6%
5%
World
India
China
Turkey
Sweden
Saudi Arabia
Romania
Hungary
Australia
United States
Malaysia
Poland
Peru
Chile
Argentina
Germany
Great Britain
South Africa
Serbia
South Korea
Canada
France
Mexico
Brazil
Belgium
Spain
Italy
Japan
Russia
Q. Which if any of the following
would you personally do to
reduce the problems caused by
unnecessary use of plastic and
packaging that cannot be
recycled? - Pay extra for goods
that have no packaging that
cannot be recycled
Pay extra for goods
without non-recyclable
packaging
I would personally dothis to reduce the problems caused by unnecessary
use of plasticand packagingthatcannotberecycled
• Those who pay extra for
goods without non-
recyclable packaging are
said to be purchasing
“utility” in the form of the
feeling of environmental
responsibility.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
43. 37%
20%
16%
10%
8%
7%
1%
1%
All of the above equally
Companies that produce packaged goods
Government
Companies that sell packaged goods
Consumers
No opinion/don't know
Nobody has a responsibility
Other
Q. Who if anybody do you believe
should take most responsibility
for finding a way to reduce the
amount of unnecessary
packaging which is sold?
Who’s responsible?
This entity shouldtake responsibility
• The plurality of global
respondents believe the
government, producers,
and consumersshould work
together to take
responsibility for the issue.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
45. 20%
38%
33%
33%
30%
29%
28%
26%
23%
22%
22%
20%
19%
19%
19%
18%
17%
17%
16%
15%
15%
15%
14%
14%
13%
12%
12%
10%
8%
World
Russia
France
Hungary
Belgium
Sweden
Germany
Great Britain
South Korea
Saudi Arabia
Canada
United States
Brazil
China
South Africa
Chile
Australia
Argentina
Italy
Poland
Spain
Mexico
Malaysia
Serbia
India
Peru
Romania
Japan
Turkey
Q. Who if anybody do you believe
should take most responsibility
for finding a way to reduce the
amount of unnecessary
packaging which is sold? -
Companies that produce
packaged goods
Packaged good
producers
Companies thatproducepackaged goods should take responsibility
• If packaged good producers
took the responsibility, they
would need to reduce their
production, which would
harm profits, or find
alternative methods of
packaging.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
47. 10%
19%
16%
16%
14%
13%
13%
13%
12%
11%
11%
10%
10%
10%
9%
9%
8%
8%
8%
8%
8%
7%
6%
6%
6%
6%
6%
5%
5%
World
France
Poland
South Korea
Sweden
Belgium
Germany
China
Great Britain
Saudi Arabia
India
Canada
Japan
Italy
South Africa
Hungary
Mexico
United States
Romania
Australia
Argentina
Chile
Spain
Peru
Russia
Malaysia
Brazil
Turkey
Serbia
Q. Who if anybody do you believe
should take most responsibility
for finding a way to reduce the
amount of unnecessary
packaging which is sold? -
Companies that sell packaged
goods
Sellers of packaged
goods
Companies thatsell packagedgoods shouldtakeresponsibility
• Sellers of packaged goods
are the middlemen. They
buy fromthose who
produce packaged goods in
order to sell to individual
consumers.
• If they take responsibility,
they would need to find
alternative goods to sell to
consumers.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
48. 8%
16%
15%
14%
12%
12%
12%
11%
10%
10%
9%
9%
9%
9%
8%
8%
8%
7%
7%
7%
6%
5%
4%
4%
4%
4%
4%
3%
2%
World
Turkey
Malaysia
Japan
Brazil
Peru
India
Germany
Romania
Sweden
Argentina
Saudi Arabia
United States
South Korea
Mexico
Belgium
Poland
Chile
South Africa
Italy
Hungary
China
Great Britain
Canada
Spain
Australia
France
Serbia
Russia
Q. Who if anybody do you believe
should take most responsibility
for finding a way to reduce the
amount of unnecessary
packaging which is sold? -
Consumers
Consumers of packaged
goods
Consumers should takeresponsibility
• If consumers bear the
responsibility for the issue,
they would have to choose
to buy fromresponsible
sellers.
• This would then incentivize
sellersto become
responsible, in turn
incentivizing producers to
decrease their production of
unnecessary packaging.
Base: 20,794 online adults aged 16-64 across 28 countries March 23 – April 6, 2018
49. www.ipsos-mori.com/
49
• In total 20,794interviews were conducted between
DATES.
• The survey was conducted in 28countries around the
world, via the Ipsos Online Panel system in Argentina,
Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, France,
Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico,
Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia,
South Africa, SouthKorea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey,
Great Britain, and the USA.
• Approximately 1000individuals aged 18-65 were
surveyed in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France,
Italy, Japan, Romania, Russia, Spain, Great Britain, and
the USA.Approximately 500individuals aged 18-65 were
surveyed in Argentina, Belgium, Chile, Hungary, India,
Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Serbia,
South Africa, SouthKorea, Sweden, Turkey.
• Where results do not sum to 100 or the ‘difference’
appears to be+-1 more/less than the actual, this may be
due to rounding, multiple responses or the exclusion of
don't knows or not stated responses.
• The data are weighted to match the profile of the
population. 17 of the 28 countries surveyed generate
nationally representative samples in their countries
(Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France,
Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Poland,
Romania, Serbia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and
United States). Brazil, Chile, China, India, Malaysia,
Mexico, Peru, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and
Turkey produce a national sample that is considered to
represent a more affluent, connected population. These
are still a vital social group to understand in these
countries, representing an important and emerging
middle class.