South Africans Have Poor Understanding of Climate Change, Survey Shows
Almost a third (28%) of South Africans have not heard about global warming or climate change while over a half considered their knowledge as “hardly anything” or less.
The Human Sciences Research Council, a South African parastatal, conducts human sciences research in support of the growth and development of the country. Their 2008 South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS) collected information from a representative sample of over three thousand people. One of the modules of the survey explored issues such as knowledge and concern about climate change, perceived causes and impacts, where responsibility for action lies, and the level of support for interventions.
The results show that South Africans are poorly informed about climate change and its implications. They lack a full understanding of the impacts it is likely to have on their lives over the next few decades. This hints at difficulties that will be encountered as South Africa addresses climate change.
Respondents identified food security (15%), temperature (13%), disease (13%) and the standard of living (11%) as issues that would be effected by climate change. Issues with less direct impact on the individual, such as storms, floods, and loss of biodiversity, were not identified as frequently.
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Of those able to offer an opinion, 71% stated that climate change is a ‘very serious’ or ‘somewhat serious’ problem. This is in line with the GlobeScan Poll of 2006 which indicated the concerned section of the population had risen from 62% in 2003 to 72% in 2006. The worrying point though is that South Africa’s level is low compared to a range of other countries. This could be a barrier to the changes necessary for South Africa to improve its situation.
Other issues that could effect South Africa’s response would be the population’s perception of who should lead actions and its preparedness to contribute to these actions at the individual level. The survey found that 52% of the respondents felt that immediate action was required even if it would cost money and 48% felt that it was governments responsibility to initiate actions although business and individuals also had a role to play.
So although efforts to improve the understanding of climate change and it implications are urgently needed, the indications are that the people of South Africa will support the changes that are going to be necessary.
Source: Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)
North Americans too have a poor understanding of climate change. For example, most NA’s think that CO2 is a dangerous pollutant. They also believe that since the earth’s climate is gradually changing, it must be the fault of humanity.
They also think that elevated CO2 is the cause of climate change, even though ice cores have proved that CO2 variations are an effect not a cause of climate change. Not once in all 800,000 years of ice core records has an increase of CO2 preceded an increase of the earth’s temperature. It has always followed by hundreds of years. That is by definition, an effect of climate change.
It’s truly astonishing how poor an understanding of cliamte change North Americans have. But you know the truth don’t you.
as does one candidate for Vice President of the US
Hi Ken
The points you raise, however unconventional, are maybe subjects for other discussions. They aren’t relevant here as the survey focusses only on the public perceptions and knowledge regarding the effects of global warming and not its causes.
Although the statistics quoted are not an overwhelming indicator of much in any one direction, they do illustrate the age old truth that people respond more to that which they see as directly affecting their immediate needs: food, water, shelter. Generally, once these needs are met they are more able to concentrate on the greater community. The difficulty is then to establish a direct and immediate connection between a healthy planet and the ability of each individual and his/her community to provide for these needs.
People need food first then climate change! Most South Africans are not educated, like this article how many South Africans have read it? 1-6 maybe, there is no word that describes climate change; in the language of the South Africans everything is in English!
Hi Sdumo
Thanks for your feedback! You are right that people need food, but climate change is likely to make that food even harder to get/afford if no actions are taken.
The HSR’c report and my article are written, not for the grassroots people, but for those who can access and understand and can influence actions.
One action would of course be to educate all people about climate change and what they can do to change things.
Just as an afterthought, there is no English word for climate change either - its just that the two have been put together and developed a meaning. What about you developing a good phrase and getting Highveld Radio (where I see you have your email) to get the message out!