Since 2007, The Climate Institute has produced Climate of the Nation research capturing the nation's pulse on attitudes to climate change. This year's results show an increasing awareness and concern about the impacts of climate change and the country’s future energy mix amid the intensifying political debate. More Australians trust the science that says climate change is caused by human activities. The findings provide a critical opportunity for the Abbott government to better reflect public sentiment on climate change in its upcoming announcement on Australia’s post-2020 carbon pollution reduction target. More think that "the Abbott government should take climate change more seriously” and there is a strong expectation for government to regulate carbon pollution, move to phase out aging coal power stations, and invest in renewable energy.

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The
Climate
Institute
Climate of the Nation 2015
Australian Attitudes on Climate Change

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of The Climate Institute

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Climate of the Nation 2015
Since 2007, The Climate Institute has conducted research into Australian attitudes to climate
change and related policies, published via its Climate of the Nation reports.
The 2015 edition, summarized in this presentation, compares benchmarked data from similar
work in 2014, 2013, 2012, and some times earlier.
The report draws on a nationally representative quantitative (poll) research conducted by
Galaxy Research via an online survey between July 27-29 2015.
Over the years the report has become a key tool for media, NGOs and others interested in
tracking public opinion on climate change in Australia.

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Key findings

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Attitudes
+ In 2015 acceptance climate change is occurring is
unchanged from 2014 with a large majority (70%)
agreeing - but this is up 6 points from 2012.
+ Men are more likely to that think climate change is
not occurring – 15% vs 8% of women. Only 10%
overall do not accept it is occurring, down 7 points
from 2012.
+ Australians under 34 are more likely to agree that
climate change is occurring, with 78% of this view
compared to 71% of 34-54 year olds and 62% of
those over 55.
93% of those who accept climate change is occurring also agree
that Australia is feeling the impacts now, up 4 points from 2014.
Research into Australian attitudes about climate change highlights that
2012 was a low point and that attitudes have been rebounding across a
range of indicators since then.

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Attitudes
Among those who accept that climate
change is occurring, 89% (up 5 points
on 2014) think that humans are at least
partly the cause.
+ 41% say that humans are the main cause, up
6 points.
+ 48% say that climate change is caused by a
mix of human causes and natural cycles,
down 1 point.
+ 10% say that climate change is mainly
caused by natural cycles, down 4 points –
down 7 points from 2012.

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Attitudes
More Australians than ever recorded by
Climate of the Nation research now say that
they trust the science of climate change.
+ A majority of 57% now hold this view, up 6
points from 2014, and up 11 points from 2012.
More now disagree that “the seriousness of
climate change is exaggerated” than agree.
This is now an important trend as last year
marked the first time the tables turned.
+ 44% disagree it is exaggerated, while now only
32% agree.
+ Last year 41% disagreed and 36% agreed.
+ Older Australians (55+ years of age) are the
only demographic where more see the
seriousness of climate change as exaggerated.

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THE CORE ELEMENT OF THE OVERNMENT’S
CURRENT POLICY IS UNPOPULAR WITH 76%
OF AUSTRALIANS WANTING POLICY TO SHIFT
RESPONSIBILITY FOR POLLUTION REDUCTION
TO THE POLLUTERS, NOT THE TAXPAYERS.

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Solutions & leadership
63% of Australians say that the
conservative Abbott government should
take climate change more seriously, up 6
points from last year.
+ Younger and middle aged people are most
likely to agree (70% of 18 to 34 year olds
and 64% of 35 to 54 year olds vs 56% of
55+).
59% agree that the government
underestimates the seriousness of climate
change.
59% want the nation to be a leader in
climate solutions.
Two in three Australians think that governments need to regulate carbon
pollution.

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Australia’s post-2020 carbon pollution
reduction target
Only 11% agree the post-2020 pollution reduction targets should be based on what a
“similar resource country like Canada does” (intentionally loaded to test this comparison),
with UK and Germany (5%), China (3%) and US (2%) much lower. Half say it should be
based on the science of climate change with 27% unsure.
The science of climate change,
not what other nations are doing
51%
What the USA does 2%
What a similar resource country such as Canada does 11%
What China does 3%
What European countries like the UK and Germany do 5%
Don’t know 27%

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Opposition alternatives
While recent renewable energy
targets better reflect public
sentiment, questions of ALP
remain – policy detail and
communication will be important.
The ‘carbon tax spectre’ loses its
sting.
+ 47% think that ALP policies will
“just increase electricity prices
and not do much about pollution”.
+ Only 36% say that they won’t
vote for the ALP because they will
bring back the carbon tax, with a
24% neutral and 28%
disagreeing.

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SUPPORT FOR SOLAR AND WIND HAS GROWN, DESPITE
THE SIGNIFICANT RECENT GOVERNMENT-LED CUT TO
THE RENEWABLE ENERGY TARGET AND OTHER ATTACKS
ON CLEAN ENERGY.

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Preferred energy mix
Despite a year which has seen renewable energy targets wound back, and
attacks on wind power, support for both solar and wind in Australians’
preferred energy mix has grown.

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Coal phase out is inevitable
+ 71% of Australians agree
“it is inevitable that
Australia’s current coal
fired generation will need
to be replaced”.
+ 72% agree “governments
need a plan to ensure
the orderly closure of old
coal plants and their
replacement with clean
energy”.

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Renewables are seen as the future
+ Two in three Australians
agree “reducing
investment in wind farms
and subsidies for
household solar is the
opposite of what is
needed”.
+ 71% per cent agree
“tackling climate change
creates new
opportunities in
renewable energy”.

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More information
www.climateinstitute.org.au/climate-of-the-nation-2015.html
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This project was conducted with the support from:
Grant Mathews/Curlew Fund (a sub fund of the Australian Communities Foundation)
Hamer Family Fund (a sub fund of the Australian Communities Foundation)
The Mullum Trust (a sub fund of the Australian Communities Foundation)
Stephen Whately

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Get involved
We face a time that is make or break
for climate policy, globally and at
home. All of Australia’s future climate
and renewable energy policy
framework is being decided so there
has never been a more critical time to
make your voice heard: we need
climate action more than ever.
Throughout 2015, your tax-
deductible donation will be
matched by an equal donation by a
generous supporter – so your
investment in us will be doubled!
For more information visit, www.climateinstitute.org.au