Sustainable Business: NZers reluctant to make personal changes to avert climate disaster

Student climate change protesters in the Bay of Plenty. Photo / Bay of Plaenty Times / Andrew Warner

"Despite recent flooding and adverse weather events, more New Zealanders are concerned about the impact of climate change on the rest of the world than on New Zealand", says Amanda Dudding, research director, public affairs, Ipsos New Zealand.

Dudding is commenting on the local results of an international survey her company has conducted into attitudes and perceptions about environmental issues. Ipsos spoke to over 20,000 people in 31 countries.

The survey found New Zealand is the country most worried about the worldwide impact of climate change. More than 80 per cent of people here expressed concern, this compares with 70 per cent worldwide. And we are among the leaders when it comes to expecting action from business with 70 per cent saying if businesses do not act now, they will be failing employees and customers.

Yet things are different when it comes to people making personal sacrifices. Dudding says the focus on climate change overseas may explain why New Zealanders are reluctant to make difficult changes, like eating less meat and dairy products. The survey found that 42 per cent of New Zealanders are unlikely to eat less meat and almost half (49 per cent ) are unlikely to replace dairy products with soy milk or similar substitutes.

Ipsos New Zealand managing director Carin Hercock says this indicates major education programmes and behaviour change interventions are needed for New Zealand to reach the 2050 net zero goal.

Three-quarters (76 per cent) of New Zealanders say they are concerned about the impacts seen in their own country. This is well ahead of the international average of 68 per cent.

There's widespread recognition that government, businesses and individuals need to act to combat climate change. Seven in ten (70 per cent) say if companies do not act now they will be failing their employees and customers. This is up significantly from a year ago when 60 per cent wanted to see immediate change.

This compares with 65 per cent of New Zealanders who say if the government does not act now it will be failing the nation's people. The number is up from 57 per cent in 2021.

Three in four New Zealanders say they believe if individuals don't act they will be failing future generations.

Despite the high levels of concern expressed in the survey, people have done little to change their individual practices. The proportion of people who say they plan to make pro-environmental changes in the coming year has barely changed since the 2021 survey.

This applies in New Zealand and in the other countries surveyed.

Pedestrians negotiate a flooded Tāmaki Drive. Photo / Jason Oxenham

There's little optimism compared to other nations when it comes to how New Zealanders see their nation's progress over the rest of this decade. Almost a third (31 per cent) don't think the country will make significant progress; the international average is 36 per cent and 37 per cent of Australians anticipate progress. But we are even less convinced other countries will make progress. Half the New Zealand sample (48 per cent) say they don't believe other countries will make significant progress. The worldwide average is 36 per cent.

When asked about which business sectors have more responsibility for reducing their carbon emissions, energy companies, car manufacturers, public transport providers and airlines top the list. These are all high-profile sectors that are widely associated with carbon emissions. We see sectors where the carbon emissions are less obvious as having less responsibility.

New Zealanders are more inclined than people in other countries to think the government has a clear plan for how government, businesses and individuals can work together to tackle climate change. Almost half (46 per cent) say our government has a plan compared with 39 per cent of respondents in other countries.

New Zealanders' attitudes and behaviours to climate change

• Over two-thirds of people globally are concerned about the impacts of climate change, both in their own countries and around the world. New Zealanders are the most concerned about the impact of climate change seen globally compared to people in other countries around the world.

• There is an increased level of awareness of the urgency of the climate crisis.

Compared to last year, significantly more New Zealanders recognise that individuals, businesses and government need to act now.

• However, this has not translated into clear changes in how people plan to act. The proportion of the public, both globally and in New Zealand, planning to make pro-environmental changes over the coming year has not increased significantly since last year.

• People's understanding of what to do as individuals to reduce contribution to carbon emissions also remains low. Recycling and growing/producing your own food are incorrectly identified by New Zealanders as the top 2 most impactful carbon-reducing actions, while living car-free or changing to a vegan diet (which have a far higher impact) are not seen by most as having a major impact.

• Interestingly, New Zealanders are great recyclers (with 95% indicating that they are already recycling or are likely to start recycling in the next 12 months) but are particularly reluctant to eat less meat (42% say they are unlikely to reduce their meat consumption) and dairy products (49% are unlikely to reduce dairy consumption).

• Despite progress over the last 12 months, awareness of governments' climate change action plans remains fairly low. Globally, just 39% agree that their government has a clear plan in place for how government, businesses and people are going to work together to tackle climate change. New Zealanders have better awareness, with 46% recognising that the government has a clear climate action plan.
(Ipsos - New Zealanders' Attitudes & Behaviours Towards Climate Change 2022)