Global Societal Trends on Sustainable Development Issues. December 2012

Transcription

1 Global Societal Trends on Sustainable Development Issues December

2 2 Sponsors and Partners of The Regeneration Roadmap

3 Summary of Findings The following is a report of findings of a number of public opinion survey questions fielded for the Regeneration Roadmap via GlobeScan Radar. GlobeScan Radar is a program of evidence and counsel that draws upon GlobeScan s unique database of over fifteen years of tracking of global (20-30 countries) citizen and stakeholder perceptions around business and its role in society. Please see slide 23 for the methodology. Increasing concern about social problems, declining concern about the environment On a global level, economic problems are viewed as the most serious challenge, although concern here is declining. Worry about social issues, such as healthcare and education, however, is escalating whereas concern about environmental issues has fallen sharply. 3 Economic Over the last five years, those in EU countries and emerging nations have been increasingly concerned about the economy. People in Spain, Kenya, and Nigeria are more likely than others to view economic problems and economic uncertainty as serious challenges. Most fast growing economies show a declining concern about poverty.

4 Summary of Findings Social Brazilians are increasingly concerned about health care in contrast to the Chinese who are now less worried about health care than before. Concern about education is rising in many emerging countries but also in a number of countries in North America and the EU. Education is viewed as more of a challenge in three of the emerging economies surveyed Brazil, Indonesia, and Nigeria. Environmental People in emerging economies, especially in Brazil, increasingly view environmental pollution as a serious challenge, but they are rapidly becoming less concerned about climate change. Overall, Latin Americans are the most concerned about environmental pollution and climate change. 4

5 Globally, poverty and economic problems are seen as the most challenging, followed by social and environmental issues 5 Q4b_at. I am going to read you a list of possible challenges in our society. For each, please tell me how serious a challenge you think it is.

6 Implications 6 Economic issues are paramount. It is clear that while concern about climate change and pollution may have held steady in the face of rising economic concerns for a time, economic conditions particularly in the West have now eclipsed concerns such as the environment. Those seeking to engage the public on environmental issues will need to find new ways to reach them, possibly with more appealing narratives that address self-interest rather than those that highlight the enormity of the challenge. Over the longer term, concern about climate change could remain subdued as long as economic problems or at least worries over the economy remain high. Further large-scale extreme weather events could alter this scenario, as happened following Hurricane Katrina in the USA. Meanwhile, issues such as poverty, health and education may remain front and centre, as budgets come under further pressure especially in Europe. These patterns are not limited to wealthy countries and the decline in the importance of economic issues does not have its roots solely in economic immediacy. Indeed, whilst developing world concerns about climate change have stabilised overall, the proportion of people describing this issue as very serious (as opposed to somewhat ) continues to fall in emerging markets. This may reflect on impact of doubts raised about climate science and/or that some western countries deprioritized this issue on the international agenda as they grapple with economic problems. It may fall to corporate leaders to take action on climate.

7 Concern about the economy is on a decline but concern about social issues is on the rise; worry about environmental problems has rapidly decreased 7 Q4b_at. I am going to read you a list of possible challenges in our society. For each, please tell me how serious a challenge you think it is.

8 8 Economic Issues

9 Spain, Kenya, and Nigeria show very high concern with the economy, in contrast to East Asian countries 9 Q4b_at. I am going to read you a list of possible challenges in our society. For each, please tell me how serious a challenge you think it is. - Economic problems and uncertainty

10 Many EU and emerging Markets (Brazil, China, India) are increasingly concerned about economic problems 10 Q4b_at. I am going to read you a list of possible challenges in our society. For each, please tell me how serious a challenge you think it is. - Economic problems and uncertainty

11 Developing countries are most concerned about poverty and homelessness, with Brazil, Nigeria, and Kenya topping the list 11 Q4b_at. I am going to read you a list of possible challenges in our society. For each, please tell me how serious a challenge you think it is. - Poverty and homelessness

12 Most fast growing economies seeing a decline in concern over poverty, with China a notable exception 12 Q4b_at. I am going to read you a list of possible challenges in our society. For each, please tell me how serious a challenge you think it is. - Poverty and homelessness

13 13 Social Issues

14 Brazilians are most likely to see health care as a major challenge 14 Q4b_at. I am going to read you a list of possible challenges in our society. For each, please tell me how serious a challenge you think it is. - Health care

15 Brazilians are increasingly concerned about health care in contrast to the Chinese whose concern has rapidly decreased 15 Q4b_at. I am going to read you a list of possible challenges in our society. For each, please tell me how serious a challenge you think it is. - Health care

16 Education seen as more of a challenge in three of the fastest emerging economies Brazil, Indonesia, and Nigeria 16 Q4b_at. I am going to read you a list of possible challenges in our society. For each, please tell me how serious a challenge you think it is. -Education

17 Concern over education is rising in many emerging countries but also in North America and the EU 17 Q4b_at. I am going to read you a list of possible challenges in our society. For each, please tell me how serious a challenge you think it is. -Education

18 18 Environmental Issues

19 Latin Americans are the most concerned about environmental pollution; East Asians, Kenyans, Germans, the least 19 Q4b_at. I am going to read you a list of possible challenges in our society. For each, please tell me how serious a challenge you think it is. - Environmental pollution

20 People in emerging economies, especially Brazil, increasingly view environmental pollution as a serious challenge 20 Q4b_at. I am going to read you a list of possible challenges in our society. For each, please tell me how serious a challenge you think it is. Environmental pollution

21 Latin Americans are most likely to view climate change as a serious problem; Americans among the least likely 21 Q4b_at. I am going to read you a list of possible challenges in our society. For each, please tell me how serious a challenge you think it is. Climate Change

22 Developing nations rapidly becoming less concerned about climate change 22 Q4b_at. I am going to read you a list of possible challenges in our society. For each, please tell me how serious a challenge you think it is. Climate Change

23 23 Methodology

24 Map of participating countries 24 Representative samples of approximately 1,000 adults per country in 23 countries (n=24,441). Some urban-only surveying in certain developing countries. Face-to-face and telephone interviewing between December 2011 and February All figures in the charts are expressed in percentages, unless otherwise noted.

25 25 Methodology and Research Partners