Climate Change in the Indian Mind

A recent report from the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication finds that while many Indians indicate that they have never heard of global warming or climate change, they observe changes in their own local climate and endorse the notion of climate change when it is described. The report, Climate Change in the Indian Mind, is based on survey research of over 4,000 Indian adults. The study was designed to investigate the current state of public climate change awareness, beliefs, attitudes, policy support, and behaviors, as well as public observations of changes in local weather and climate patterns and self-reported vulnerability to extreme weather events.

Millions of Indians are observing changes in their local rainfall, temperatures, and weather, report more frequent droughts and floods, and a more unpredictable monsoon. Among survey respondents, 80 percent had observed changes in the pattern of local rainfall over the past 10 years, 54 percent reported an increased frequency of hot days, and 38 percent indicated that the monsoon in their local area had become more unpredictable. A majority of respondents to the survey said their own household’s drinking water and food supply, health, and income are vulnerable to a severe drought or flood and that it would take them months to years to recover. 

 

Only 7 percent of respondents said they know “a lot” about global warming, while 41 percent had never heard of it or said, “I don’t know.” However, after hearing a short definition of global warming, 72 percent said they believe global warming is happening, 56 percent said it is caused mostly by human activities, 50 percent said they have already personally experienced the effects, and 61 percent said they are worried about it.

 

Other key findings include:

• Scientists were the most trusted sources of information about global warming (73%), followed by the news media (69%), and environmental organizations (68%). Government and religious leaders were trusted by about half of respondents.
• 54 percent said that India should be making a large or moderate-scale effort to reduce global warming, even if it has large or moderate economic costs.
• Majorities favored a variety of policies to waste less fuel, water, and energy, even if this increased costs.
• 70 percent favored a national program to teach Indians about global warming.

The report includes an Executive Summary and can be downloaded here: Climate Change in the Indian Mind

 

The report is based on a national survey conducted in November and December 2011 of 4,031 Indian adults, using an approximately 75 percent urban and 25 percent rural sample. The survey margin of error was +/-1.54%. It is part of an ongoing effort to understand how Indians are thinking about and responding to climate change by the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication, in collaboration with survey researchers at GlobeScan, Inc. and C-Voter and support from the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation and the Rice Family Foundation.

 

In coming weeks the Yale Project on Climate Communication, which is housed in the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, will release a companion report that will identify several distinct audiences within the Indian public, akin to its work in the United States identifying “Global Warming’s Six Americas.”