Context
- A new Pew Research Center survey (Jan 8 – Apr 21, 2025) covering nine middle-income countries shows that three out of four Indians believe climate change is affecting the area where they live.
- The report highlights India’s high willingness to adopt lifestyle changes, strong public confidence in global climate action, and growing concern over drought and extreme heat.
What is Being Studied? (Public Perception of Climate Change)
The survey examines:
- How strongly people feel climate change is affecting their local area.
- Their willingness to change lifestyles to help reduce its effects.
- Whether age groups differ in their willingness to act.
- The level of confidence in international efforts to combat climate change.
- The climate-related events they worry about most (like drought or heatwaves).
Data was collected from more than 12,000 adults across India, Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, and Turkey.
Why Does It Matter?
Understanding public perception is important because:
- Climate policy success depends on citizens’ willingness to act.
- India is highly vulnerable to drought, heatwaves, and extreme climate events.
- Public support strengthens government and global climate initiatives.
- Climate-friendly behaviour at the household level is essential for mitigation and adaptation.
How People Responded? (Key Findings of the Survey)
- Impact Perception
- 76% of Indians believe climate change is affecting the area where they live.
- India ranks among the highest in the nine surveyed countries.
- Willingness to Make Lifestyle Changes
- Around 80% Indians are ready to make “a lot” or “some” lifestyle changes.
- India is one of the few countries where willingness is uniform across age groups:
- Ages 18-34 → High willingness
- Ages 35-49 → High willingness
- Ages 50+ → High willingness
- Importantly, even 35% of Indians who said climate change is not affecting their area were still willing to make major lifestyle changes – the second highest across countries.
- Confidence in Global Climate Action
- Over 70% of Indians are confident that international action will reduce climate change impacts.
- This places India among the top three most optimistic countries.
- What Indians Fear Most
- 40% are most concerned about drought in 2025 (though this is lower than in 2015).
- Concern about unusually long periods of heat has risen to 26%, showing increasing fear of extreme temperature events.
Implications
- India has a high climate awareness compared to many other countries.
- Strong willingness across all age groups suggests broad support for climate-friendly policies.
- Growing concern about heatwaves and drought highlights India’s rising climate vulnerabilities.
- High confidence in global climate action may help strengthen support for international climate agreements.
- Public willingness provides a strong base for expanding renewable energy, water conservation, and sustainable mobility
Challenges and Way Forward
| Challenges | Way Forward |
| Public willingness may not always translate into actual behaviour change due to cost and convenience barriers. | Promote affordable green alternatives (public transport, energy-efficient appliances, water-saving technologies). |
| Rising climate threats like drought and heatwaves need stronger local adaptation planning. | Strengthen heat action plans, drought preparedness, and early warning systems. |
| Over-reliance on digital information may exclude low-income or rural communities. | Use community outreach, schools, and local institutions for climate awareness. |
| Confidence in global action may delay local accountability if policies seem slow. | Combine global cooperation with strong domestic action and strict enforcement. |
| Lifestyle change alone may be insufficient without structural reforms. | Encourage industry-level emissions cuts, urban planning reforms, and green infrastructure. |
Conclusion
The survey shows that Indians are among the most climate-aware and climate-ready populations in the world. With strong willingness across all age groups and high optimism about international efforts, India has a unique opportunity to deepen public involvement in climate action. Turning this awareness into consistent behaviour change, resilient infrastructure, and strong policy implementation will be crucial for safeguarding India’s future in a warming world.
| Ensure IAS Mains Question Q. “India stands out globally for its high climate awareness and willingness to act.” Analyse this statement in the context of the 2025 Pew Survey findings. Highlight the major trends, public confidence levels, and implications for India’s climate policy. (250 words) |
| Ensure IAS Prelims Question Q. With reference to the 2025 Pew Survey on public perception of climate change, consider the following statements: 1. Over 75% of Indians across all age groups were willing to make lifestyle changes to reduce the effects of climate change. 2. Only those Indians who believed climate change was affecting their area were willing to adopt major lifestyle changes. 3. More than 70% of Indians were confident that international action would reduce the effects of climate change. Which of the above statements is/are correct? a) 1 and 2 only b) 1 and 3 only c) 2 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3 Answer: b) 1 and 3 only Explanation: Statement 1 is correct: Across all age groups (18–34, 35–49, and 50+), more than 75% of Indians expressed readiness to make a lot or some lifestyle changes to help reduce the effects of climate change. Statement 2 is incorrect: A notable finding is that even among those who believed climate change was not affecting their area, about 35% were still willing to make major lifestyle changes, the second-highest among all surveyed countries. Statement 3 is correct: Over 70% of Indians reported confidence that international efforts would significantly reduce climate change impacts, placing India among the most optimistic nations in the nine-country survey. |
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