The vast majority of Quebecers believe that businesses, various levels of government and citizens are not doing enough to fight the climate crisis, according to what emerges from the 2021 edition of the Climate Action Barometer. However, they tend to overestimate the importance of their own actions for the environment and very few want to give up their cars.
Faced with the increasingly glaring reality of climate change, more Quebecers (84%) are in favor of the idea that there is “urgent need to act” to tackle this global environmental crisis. But in this regard, they are also very numerous to judge that the response is not up to par, even though barely 22% of them feel “personally threatened”.
“The majority of the population” considers that all levels of government, but also companies and individuals “should do more for the climate”, we can read in the Climate Action Barometer 2021, which is published this Wednesday by the Climate Action Laboratory, a collaboration between a research team from Laval University and the media Unpointfive.
According to this survey conducted by online questionnaire among 2002 people aged 18 and over from September 27 to October 2, 2021, no less than 80% of Quebecers believe that the federal government is not doing enough, a rate that is 76% for the government of Quebec and 73% for municipalities and RCMs. In the case of manufacturing companies, 81% of respondents believe they should do more to fight climate change.
Citizens are also very critical of individual climate action, since 79% of them believe that their fellow citizens must act more proactively to reduce their carbon footprint. Barely 10% believe that other citizens are doing enough for climate protection.
” Incapacity “
“The proportion of people who say they take action for the climate is stable (89%) compared to the 2020 edition of the Climate Action Barometer”, but the population is less willing than last year to do more for the climate (74%, -4 points). “It is possible that the increase in the feeling of powerlessness partly explains this result, as well as the perception that other actors must also do more about climate issues”, we can read in the document.
The survey found that many Quebecers express feelings of helplessness (62%), sadness (61%), fear (51%) or guilt (49%) in relation to the issues. climatic. “For some people, these feelings will serve as a motor for climate action while, for others, it will be a brake”, explains Valériane Champagne St-Arnaud, professor in the marketing department at Laval University, and Clémence Lalloz, co-founder and deputy general manager ofUnpointfive. Women and young adults (18-34 years old) “are significantly more affected by these negative emotions than other groups”.
With regard to individual actions, except for the reduction in meat consumption (43%), the majority of the population adopts each of the climatic actions surveyed. Recycling still dominates (94%), followed by the reduction in food waste (85%) and the use of reusable rather than disposable products (78%).
“Just as in 2020, the population tends to overestimate the climate impact of several daily actions”, also underlines Mr.me Champagne St-Arnaud. For example, a majority of citizens (65%) believe that by buying “products packaged in bulk rather than in individual portions”, we are doing a significant step in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, this reduces emissions by the equivalent of just six kilos of CO2 per year for an average family.
“Attachment” to the car
A majority of citizens (62%) would be in favor of “additional costs” to offset greenhouse gas emissions when purchasing a plane ticket, 58% are for the imposition of “additional costs »For the registration of gas-guzzling vehicles, including sport utility vehicles (SUVs), an increasingly popular category in Quebec. But barely 33% are in favor of setting up “charges” for the use of the road network, such as tolls.
The survey also revealed, once again, the “strong attachment” of Quebecers to their car. “The majority own or lease a car for the long term, and barely 1 in 10 people envision a change in this regard in the next year,” the document points out. This car culture is one of the “great resistances” of the population, but it is partly explained by the land use planning of the province, according to Valériane Champagne St-Arnaud.
Finally, the document highlights the gaps in knowledge of “concepts” linked to climate upheavals. Barely 17% of those polled could explain the concept of “carbon offsetting”, 30% that of “adaptation”, 45% that of “extreme weather events” and 48% the concept of “greenhouse gases”.