COP26 one month to go: More than 3m Brits don’t believe climate change exists
With COP26 less than four weeks away, new research has found that one in 20 Brits, just over 3.3m people across the UK, deny the existence of climate change, while over a third is optimistic that the world will avert a climate disaster in their lifetime.
This is despite current estimations from the IPCC predicting that the crisis point for the planet is set to be reached by 2040, unless stark efforts are made to reduce carbon emissions.
The findings, shared with City PM this morning by electronics manufacturer Epson, also show that just over half of brits (53 per cent) associate famine and reduced agricultural yields with rising temperatures.
Meanwhile, 40 per cent are aware of its link to increased insect outbreaks.
“As the climate emergency unfolds before our eyes, it’s of real concern that so many people fail to recognise, or even actively deny, its existence,” commented Henning Ohlsson, Director of Sustainability, Epson Europe.
“With COP26 just weeks away, it’s a wake-up call for everyone. Governments, businesses, and individuals must work together to avoid a climate catastrophe in the future,” he added.