2015 Lowy Institute polling: views on climate action ahead of United Nations climate negotiations in Paris

Overview As the world begins negotiations at the Paris international climate negotiations next week, the majority of adult Australians (62%) say the Government should be prepared to make stronger commitments on emissions reductions in the interests of reaching a global agreement, according to Lowy Institute polling conducted last month. Only 36% say the government should ‘stick to its target regardless of what other countries do’. The telephone poll, conducted between 25 October and 4 November this year, confirmed the upward trend in concern about climate change which the Lowy Institute has recorded in successive polls since 2012.  More than half of the Australian population – 52% – now say global warming is ‘a serious and pressing problem. We should begin taking steps now even if this involves significant costs’.  This is an increase of 16 percentage points since 2012. Despite this rising concern, Australians are divided on the best economic policy to deal with the problem of carbon emissions. When forced to choose between the current Direct Action scheme and a price on carbon or emissions trading scheme, marginally more Australians (51%) say we should ‘continue the Government’s Direct Action plan which pays businesses for emissions reduction projects’. Nevertheless, despite the abolition of the carbon tax in 2014, a surprising 43% would prefer that the Australian Government ‘introduce an emissions trading scheme or price on carbon, where people pay for their carbon emissions’