Indians more climate conscious than peers across the world says IET survey

New research from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has shown that 96 per cent of adults in India think that climate is changing, and that human activity is solely or partly responsible.

The research, which forms a part of the IET′s Green Preferences Survey, to which over a 1,000 Indians responded also found that 45 per cent of adults in India believe that we can avoid the worst effects of climate change, only by making radical changes to how we live our lives. 58 per cent of respondents said that other generations will experience noticeable change because of climate change, while 39 per cent said the effects would be felt in their generation. In terms of trade-offs when presented with choices of what they would be willing to do, respondents in India said:

* 57 per cent are most likely to opt for the eco-wash cycle in a washing machine, compared to 32 per cent in China and 36 per cent in the UAE

* Those in India are far more likely to choose a holiday destination in their own country (36 per cent) in order to reduce their carbon footprint, compared to the UK (12 per cent), USA (11 per cent) and Australia (9 per cent)

* When asked the trade-off between flying or spending more money taking the train to their holiday destination, those in India were more open to the idea of spending more and taking the train (43 per cent), along with China (49 per cent) and Germany (46 per cent)

"It′s great to see that respondents in India are aware that radical action is needed. However, positive progress comes at a price - short-term financial gains are always attractive, but long-term investment must be the goal. Our survey has shown that respondents from across the world are aware that change is needed, and they know what can be done - but they often require practical reasons to make that change. It′s essential that there is a collaborative approach, through national and international policy and messaging across businesses and industry sectors," said James Robottom, Sustainability and Climate Change Lead at the IET.