Brussels, 8 June 2015 (ITUC OnLine): Governments around
the world are lagging behind urgent demands to address climate change, with
people voicing overwhelming support – particularly in developing countries –
for immediate action, the latest ITUC poll revealed.
Nine out of ten people across the globe are demanding
their elected leaders do more to prevent the world’s population from being
impacted by the effects of man-made global warming, the latest International
Trade Union Confederation Frontlines Poll showed.
“As the deadly heatwave in India and the crippling
drought in California both show, rich and poor nations alike are affected by
climate change,” ITUC general secretary Sharan Burrow said. “But with
developing countries experiencing more and being less able to respond to
climate-related catastrophes, we’re hearing the most urgent calls for
government action from the Global South.”
The ITUC poll asked people from nine countries,
representing half the world’s GDP, from both the developed and developing
world, if and when they thought world leaders needed to act to prevent the
world’s population from being impacted by climate change.
Key findings include:
• 90 per
cent want to see leaders take action to protect the international community
from climate change impacts;
• Almost
70 per cent want action from leaders now, without delay;
• Almost
8 out of 10 people want action in the next 12 months or less;
• While
almost two-thirds of the developed world want action, the figure is far higher
in the developing world at 80 per cent;
• Even
in the UK (58 per cent) and the US (55 per cent), the majority are demanding
action.
The two countries with the loudest calls for immediate
action were the heavily populated island nations of Indonesia (90 per cent) and
the Philippines (88 per cent).
“Wealthier countries like the United States emit more
emissions per capita than developing countries, but the demand for government
action is most urgent from nations like the Philippines which know firsthand
the more prevalent extreme weather events the International Panel on Climate
Change predicts,” Ms Burrow said.
The Philippines had so many typhoons in 2013 that it ran
out of letters to name them, including the devastating ‘Haiyan’, which left
6300 dead and 2000 still missing.
“This could be the future for other nations experiencing
a rapidly changing climate.”
The ITUC Frontlines Poll also revealed that governments
could no longer use their constituents as a reason for inaction, with just four
per cent indicating world leaders did not need to act.
Almost two-thirds of those aged 55 years and older wanted
immediate action, and just one in 10 of this age group believed inaction from
world leaders should continue.
Ms Burrow said: “Politicians who are not prepared to
commit to decarbonise our world and save us from the horrors of climate change
don’t deserve to be elected.
“This survey proves any pressure for world leaders to continue
to sit on their hands is coming from the corporate world and not their people.
“The international community, particularly those most
vulnerable, are demanding their governments ignore lobbying from big business
and show real leadership on climate change. What is missing are national plans
for industrial transformation and just transition.”
ENDS
Read the full ITUC Frontlines Poll here http://www.ituc-csi.org/ituc-frontlines-poll-special-topic-16271
For more information contact gemma.swart@ituc-csi.org +44 7944 99
07 63
The ITUC represents 176 million workers in 162 countries
and territories and has 328 national affiliates.