Indians more climate conscious than peers across the world says IET survey

Bangalore (Karnataka) [India], November 26 (ANI/NewsVoir): New research from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has shown that 96 per cent of adults in India think that climate is changing, and that human activity is solely or partly responsible.
The research, which forms a part of the IET's Green Preferences Survey, to which over a 1,000 Indians responded also found that 45 per cent of adults in India believe that we can avoid the worst effects of climate change, only by making radical changes to how we live our lives. 58 per cent of respondents said that other generations will experience noticeable change because of climate change, while 39 per cent said the effects would be felt in their generation.
In terms of trade-offs when presented with choices of what they would be willing to do, respondents in India said:
* 57 per cent are most likely to opt for the eco-wash cycle in a washing machine, compared to 32 per cent in China and 36 per cent in the UAE
* Those in India are far more likely to choose a holiday destination in their own country (36 per cent) in order to reduce their carbon footprint, compared to the UK (12 per cent), USA (11 per cent) and Australia (9 per cent)
* When asked the trade-off between flying or spending more money taking the train to their holiday destination, those in India were more open to the idea of spending more and taking the train (43 per cent), along with China (49 per cent) and Germany (46 per cent)
"It's great to see that respondents in India are aware that radical action is needed. However, positive progress comes at a price - short-term financial gains are always attractive, but long-term investment must be the goal. Our survey has shown that respondents from across the world are aware that change is needed, and they know what can be done - but they often require practical reasons to make that change. It's essential that there is a collaborative approach, through national and international policy and messaging across businesses and industry sectors," said James Robottom, Sustainability and Climate Change Lead at the IET.
"India has always been committed to reducing the impact of climate change. So, it is no surprise that the survey reflects this as well. Earlier this week, the Prime Minister of India announced that India is set to not only attain, but exceed the targets set by the Paris Agreement for climate resilience. Through our throught leadership platforms, we look forward to working with the ecosystem players to strengthen this approach," said Shekhar Sanyal, Country Head and Director, IET India.
The IET's Green Preferences Survey surveyed adults across Australia, China, Germany, India, the Middle East, the UK and the USA. It reveals public perceptions around making changes and trade-offs to reduce emissions, as well as understanding where the public believes responsibilities lie and what our greatest barriers are to being more sustainable.
To read the report in full, please visit www.theiet.org/Green-Preferences-Survey
For more information on the survey and the findings, you can reach out to: India-Marketing@theiet.in
The research was conducted by independent market research agency Opinium on behalf of the IET. Fieldwork was conducted between the 15 July, 2020 and 7 August, 2020. The survey achieved 3,337 responses in the UK (those aged 18 plus). Additional surveying was undertaken in Australia (1,000 responses), China (1,000 responses), Germany (1,000 responses), India (1,000 responses), the UAE (400 responses) and the USA (1,000 responses).
* We inspire, inform and influence the global engineering community to engineer a better world
* We are a diverse home for engineering and technology intelligence throughout the world. This breadth and depth mean we are uniquely placed to help the sector progress society
* We want to build the profile of engineering and technology to change outdated perceptions and tackle the skills gap. This includes encouraging more women to become engineers and growing the number of engineering apprentices
* For more information, please visit www.theiet.org.
Institution of Engineering and Technology - India
The IET office started operations in India in 2006, in Bangalore. Today, we have over 13,000 members and have the largest membership base for the IET outside of the UK.
Given the increasing global importance of India as an engineering hub our aim is to make an impact that has relevance both locally and internationally. Our strategy is to make a meaningful impact on the overall competency and skill levels within the Indian engineering community and play an influencing role with industry in relation to technology innovation and solving problems of public importance.
We want to do this via partnerships with industry, academia and government, focussing on the application of practical skills within both learning & career lifecycles, driving innovation and thought leadership through high impact sectors.
This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)