Trends Research and Advisory’s opinion poll results: Climate change poses a major threat to 62.5% of Arabs

The results of an opinion poll on the Arab public perceptions towards climate change entitled "Climate Change... Attitudes, perceptions and participation", carried out by the Global Barometer Department at TRENDS Research and Advisory, found that 62.5% of Arabs consider climate change a major source of risk, and regard climate and environmental issues at the top of their priorities and concerns.

While 37.9% of respondents believe that poverty and hunger are their main source of risk, 32.9% consider international terrorism to be their biggest concern, and 24.5% believe that the spread of infectious diseases is the main source of risk in the Arab region.

Climate and youth

The survey explored the extent to which people are concerned about climate change, with 77.7% of respondents expressing concern about these increasingly extreme phenomena, while 42.1% confirmed that they are very concerned about climate change, compared to the inaugural Arab Youth Survey in 2008, where only 11% of the youth surveyed felt that climate change and the environment are the biggest challenges facing the world. Thirteen years later, climate change has come to dominate the youth agenda, with 56% of those surveyed said that they are concerned about these diverse issues that endanger safe living on the Planet Earth.

A large number of respondents, when asked directly about the extent of their concern about climate change, 77.6% of the total respondents said that they are very concerned about this matter, with the UAE recording the highest percentage at 81.7%, followed by respondents from Jordan and Algeria (81.5% each), Iraq (79.6%) and Egypt (63.7%).

Level of education

The Arab Public Opinion Survey identified the risks of climate change by level of education factor, and found about 16% differences between people with basic education and those with higher levels of education. 64.3% of those with basic education are aware of the risks of climate change, while 80.5% of those with higher education are aware of these risks.

According to the results of the TRENDS survey, 83.3% of adults over the age of 45 expressed concern about climate change. In addition, there is a big difference between males and females, as 87.1% of women are aware of the dangers of climate change, while 79% of men are interested in climate issues.

Positive indicators

The results of the Arab Public Opinion Survey on "Climate Change" concluded that six out of ten respondents believe that global warming and rising temperatures are the most serious effects of climate change. The survey also found positive indicators among the Arab public, as they have become highly aware of climate issues, which is reflected in the fact that they hold themselves responsible at a higher rate than the European public with regard to human activity associated with climate change phenomena. This is a crucial point for climate policies in Arab countries.

Measuring Arab Awareness

Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of Trends Research and Advisory, said that the opinion poll conducted by the Global Barometer administration on «Climate Change: Attitudes, Perceptions, and Participation», falls in line with the Center’s keenness to keep abreast with global developments and interact with regional and international issues. Al-Ali added that the release of the survey results coincided with the convening of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), the activities of which will continue until December 12, at Expo City Dubai.

Dr. Al-Ali stated that the Arab Public Opinion Survey on Climate Change is an attempt to measure the awareness of citizens of Arab countries about climate issues and global warming, and the extent to which they contribute to reducing the effects of climate change.

Al-Ali indicated that the survey covered a range of important issues, including the degree of concern about climate change and its repercussions, the general knowledge of the Arab public about climate change, as well as the readiness of the Arab public to adopt practices that reduce the effects of greenhouse gas emissions, and the extent of the Arab public's participation in activities and organizations that combat the effects of climate change.

Five Arab Countries

Sultan Majed Al-Ali, Director of the Global Barometer Department at Trends Research and Advisory explained that the results of the opinion poll were prepared using the quantitative approach, with the use of the survey as a basic means of data collection. The questionnaire dealt with four basic topics, in addition to demographic information. The surveyed sample included about 2,500 people from five Arab countries, namely the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, and Iraq.

Mr. Sultan Al-Ali indicated that these five countries were chosen on the basis of geocultural considerations, as each of them represents a region of the Arab world. The UAE represents the Arab Gulf countries, Algeria represents the Maghreb countries, Egypt represents the Nile Valley countries, Jordan represents the Levant countries, and Iraq is a middle state between the Levant and the Arabian Gulf.