SUMMARY

It comes as no surprise that concern about climate change is at an all time high and the vast majority of people no longer doubt that it is real or that it is caused by greenhouse gases created by human activity.

Not only is concern at an all time high, but climate change now ranks as more important to people than a wide range of issues including housing affordability and national security.

While many people are still unfamiliar with the more detailed science of climate change, this does not detract from their passion to deal with it.

Focus group research shows that people see climate change and weather as interchangeable. As such, drought, water supply and management, and climate change are often linked in the minds of the general public. This is backed up by quantitative polling which has water management and climate change topping people’s concerns.

A common theme in the research is that people are looking for leadership. They accept there may be a price to pay and they are hungry for decisive action.They are also keen to know more about the problem, and importantly they want to be able to take action which will make a real difference.

Support for clean energy solutions like solar and wind is very strong and there is a view that Australia’s abundant sunshine is not being put to good use. People also feel strongly about cutting energy waste.

Themes that emerged strongly through the research were:
• growing understanding that climate change is already happening
• particular concern about water resources and the impact of water restrictions
• a view that Australia should lead and is not yet doing so
• concern about our children’s future (both jobs and environment)

People expressed very strong support for a future in which our children are protected from the worst impacts of climate change and are able to be involved in a new economy built around renewable energy sources.

Climate change as an issue is a mixture of economic (including households) management and environmental protection. In the UK and the US for example conservative politicians are moving swiftly to ensure their opponents don’t “own” the issue.

Currently however there is a perceived credibility gap between the major parties on climate change which makes this a difficult (but not impossible) issue for the Government, but one which also needs to be taken seriously by the Labor Opposition.