90 of Indians surveyed report being impacted by climate change Survey

New Delhi, Aug 14 (PTI) Nearly 90 per cent of Indians surveyed say they have personally experienced the effects of global warming and an overwhelming majority are worried about it, according to a new survey.
     The nationally representative survey of 2,164 adults, conducted from March 19 to April 16 this year by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and CVoter, found that 96 per cent of respondents believe global warming is happening after being given a short definition of the term.
     However, only 17 per cent say they know "a lot" about it, while 17 per cent know "just a little" and 27 per cent have never heard of it.
     Fifty-eight per cent think global warming is caused mostly by human activities, while 34 per cent say it is mostly due to natural changes in the environment.
     Asked about specific causes, 82 per cent say vehicles using petrol or diesel cause global warming "a lot" or "some" and 61 per cent say the same about coal or propane power plants.
     Only 26 per cent think raising animals for food causes global warming.
     Meanwhile, 84 per cent say plastic pollution causes global warming, even though it is not a major source of greenhouse gases, and 37 per cent attribute it to "God's will".
     Seventy-nine per cent think global warming affects the weather in their local area and 83 per cent think it affects the monsoon.
     Ninety per cent are worried about global warming, including 58 per cent who are "very worried".
     Large majorities say it will harm future generations (89 per cent), people in India (88 per cent), plant and animal species (84 per cent), people in their own community (81 per cent) and themselves or their families (81 per cent).
     Sixty-six per cent think people in India are already being harmed.
     Many expect "many more" severe heat waves (76 per cent), extinctions of species (69 per cent), droughts and water shortages (69 per cent), agricultural pests and diseases (67 per cent), severe cyclones (66 per cent), days with severe air pollution (66 per cent), famines and food shortages (59 per cent) and severe floods (52 per cent).
     Ninety-four per cent say the issue is personally important to them.
     Seventy-eight per cent say the government should do more to address global warming and 86 per cent support India's pledge to reduce carbon pollution to nearly zero by 2070.
     Eighty-seven per cent say switching from coal to wind and solar will reduce air pollution and 85 per cent say it will reduce global warming, though about half believe it will cause electricity outages (56 per cent), increase unemployment (55 per cent) or raise electricity prices (54 per cent).
     Sixty-five per cent say leaving most of India's coal in the ground is the best pathway to a healthy, safe and prosperous future, and 84 per cent support banning new coal power plants, closing existing ones and replacing them with solar and wind energy.
     Public backing is high for specific measures, including a national programme to train people for renewable energy jobs (94 per cent), a programme to teach all Indians about global warming (93 per cent), funding women's groups and Indigenous communities to protect the environment (89 per cent), preserving or expanding forests even at the cost of less land for agriculture or housing (79 per cent) and requiring new buildings to waste less water and energy even if this increases costs (76 per cent).
     Eighty-three per cent say they follow environmental issues in the news and 81 per cent discuss them with family and friends but only 38 per cent hear about global warming in the media at least once a week.
     Sixteen per cent say they took part in demonstrations in the past year to demand climate action and 73 per cent say they would be willing to join such demonstrations if asked by someone they like or respect, including 58 per cent who "definitely would".
     On vulnerability, 63 per cent say they usually receive warnings before extreme weather events, with 53 per cent citing television and 51 per cent family, friends or neighbours as sources. However, 36 per cent say they do not get any warnings.
     Seventy-four per cent say it would take their household several months or more to recover from a severe drought and 64 per cent say the same about a severe flood.
     Thirty per cent say they have already moved or considered moving because of weather-related disasters.
     Only 16 per cent have an air conditioner at home and 11 per cent have solar panels.
     Thirty-five per cent say they went without enough clean drinking water for at least one day in the past year.
     More than half say their income does not cover their needs, with 27 per cent having "some difficulties" and 33 per cent "great difficulties".
     Forty-three per cent say they have no friends or relatives they could count on for help if they were in trouble.
     The findings are part of the "Climate Change in the Indian Mind" series, which has been tracking public opinion since 2011, along with a separate survey on climate impacts and attribution conducted from December 2024 to February 2025.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)