Almost eight in 10 (78%) of New Zealanders agree that climate change is an important issue, with 91% bracing for more frequent and extreme flooding events, the latest IAG-Ipsos Climate Change Poll has found.
The fifth edition of the annual nationwide survey also found that only 34% of New Zealanders believe the country’s current response to climate change is adequate.
“The 2022 results confirm a trend that we’ve seen building over the past five years,” said Amanda Whiting (pictured above), CEO of IAG, which includes the AMI, NZI and State Insurance brands. “New Zealanders are concerned about the impacts of climate change, they want a clear direction, and they want action. NZI, State and AMI Insurance are committed to keeping New Zealanders insured. However, it’s clear that insurance alone is not the answer. As a country we need to reduce the risks to properties and lives resulting from climate change.”
According to Whiting, the most important thing is to ensure New Zealanders are safe from the impacts of natural disasters. IAG is working with the central and local governments and urging greater investment in flood prevention and other measures that either protect people or move them out of harm’s way.
“Over the past three years we have consistently seen around 75% of people say that they want central and local government to invest in building infrastructure that reduces the impact of climate change,” Whiting said. “And, over the past four years we have seen a 10% growth in the number of New Zealanders who want local councils to zone land to reduce and avoid the impact of climate change (now 74%) and consent developments that do the same (now 69%).”
While many Kiwis believe the national response to climate change is inadequate, fewer individuals are taking steps to combat the effects of climate change. From the previous survey, the number of people prepared to act to reduce the impacts of climate change on themselves personally decreased from 69% to 64%. According to IAG, this mirrors a steady decline in the number of people already taking steps to reduce climate impacts, dropping 9% over the past two years to 50%.
Another major finding of the survey is that New Zealanders are increasingly looking to the government for direction, with 48% of respondents now saying that they believe the government holds the most responsibility for acting on climate change. This is up from 25% in 2018, five years ago.
Climate Change Minister James Shaw said the survey highlights the urgency and importance of a comprehensive response to the climate crisis.
“Creating a climate friendly future for Aotearoa is a priority for this government,” Shaw said. “We can still limit the severity of climate change by doing everything we can to limit warming. That means cutting climate pollution in every part of the economy, which is the job of the Emissions Reduction Plan. Policies like the clean car discount are already proving their worth, making it easier for more people to make the switch to a low-emission vehicle. In so many areas, taking action on climate change comes with the happy coincidence of making our lives better – the job of government is to give people the options to do that.”
