EU Survey - 7/10 Believe Only Environmental Disaster Will Change Policies

[hatrack]

Some seven out of ten people in Europe agreed that 'it will take a man-made environmental catastrophe with global consequences' before society and the government takes any serious action on environmental issues. This figure increases to eight out of ten people (79 per cent) in the UK, according to a European online research study conducted by TNS and published today.

The research, carried out on TNS 6thdimension European Access Panel, asked respondents their views on a number of environmental issues. Significantly with the forthcoming G8 summit focusing heavily on pollution and climate change, some 59 per cent of those surveyed think that tough government legislation at an international level to seriously restrict the environmental impact of the world's largest polluters will make the greatest difference to environmental problems globally. Almost three-quarters of people in Germany were supportive of international legislation (73 per cent) compared to just 50 per cent of respondents in Italy.

At the same time, across all those countries surveyed, just nine per cent of respondents say that national action to restrict the environmental impact of businesses would have the most significant results, while 14 per cent believe that greater responsibility taken by individuals to reduce their own environmental impact would make the most considerable improvements.

EDIT

In terms of addressing environmental issues, there was a notable consistency in opinion, with the majority of respondents across all countries citing either 'reduction in pollution' or 'investment in renewable resources' as key focus areas.

EDIT

http://www.ameinfo.com/65178.html

[villager]

1. this has always been, true, I think...

...folks won't act 'til after the disaster. Only question is: how big a disaster will it be? And what will the margin for action be, afterwards?

[Deep13]

2. Not until it is too late.

It may be too late now.

Jesus! The Ross Iceshelf is starting its world tour, Kilamajaro has lost its snowcap, we've had repreated droughts, FL had 5 hurricanes in two months last year, record European and American heatwaves and the rain forests are now just rain divots. Just what kind of "disaster" do these folks have in mind?

[DJ MEW]

3. The disaster they have in mind.

Think "The Day After Tomorrow" but it has to happen that fast, over one weekend.

[NNadir]

4. Yeah, one wonders what it will take. I think people feel powerless.

Either that, or they've been lulled into a kind of complacency.

They say that frogs will not jump out of boiling water just so long as the heating to boiling takes place gradually enough. That may also be the case for humans on this heating planet.

[Kool Kitty]

5. I think you're correct about people feeling powerless.

Most seem to have a "what difference can I possibly make" mentality. They just don't realize that when everyone that has that feeling starts doing things differently, great change can take place.

Of course, another problem is that we have an administration that is openly hostile to the idea of global warming and any other scientific discovery made within the last five hundred years.