Climate change opinion changing

In 2006, 68% of Australians said ‘global warming is a serious and pressing problem. We should begin taking steps now even if this involves significant costs’. Since then support for this position has dropped by 20 points with 48% of Australians now feeling this way, while support for the more intermediate response ‘we can deal with the problem gradually by taking steps that are low in cost’ has risen.

Our poll last year asked people about their willingness to pay to help solve climate change. We found (see chart below) that most people were only prepared to pay $10 or less a month extra on their electricity bill if it would help solve climate change. Not that much.