In the perception of 96% of Brazilians, global warming is happening. For 81%, the issue is “very important” and 61% say they are “very concerned”. However, only 21% consider they know enough about the subject.
Conducted for the second consecutive year, the opinion poll commissioned by the ITS (Instituto Tecnologia e Sociedade) and conducted by Ipec (Intelligence in Research and Consulting) heard 2,600 people from all regions of the country. The interviews were conducted by telephone between September and November of last year. The margin of error is two percentage points.
To the question “how much do you think global warming can harm you and your family?”, 75% of Brazilians answered that the phenomenon can harm them a lot (against 72% in 2020); 13% said the degree of damage could be “more or less”, 8% answered “a little”, and for 3% the answer was “nothing” (which had 5% of responses in 2020).
The level of concern is well distributed among the five regions of the country, being highest in the Midwest, where 79% responded that global warming can harm them a lot. The answer was given by 70% of respondents in the South — the lowest number among regions.
Among the black population, the perception that global warming can harm them a lot is higher: it had 82% of the answers, against 78% among pardos, 71% in the white population and 74% among those who identify with other races. The alert is also greater among women: 80% of them responded that they can be very harmed, against 70% of men.
The response also had more adherence between the left (81%) and the center (78%). Among respondents who identify with the right on the political spectrum, the perception that they can be greatly harmed falls to 69% of respondents and remains at 77% among those who do not know or have not responded about their political position.
In the opinion of Fabro Steibel, executive director of the ITS, concern with the environmental issue is well distributed across the political spectrum, although it is slightly lower among those who declare themselves as “more to the right”.
Among those who consider themselves “more on the left”, 88% say they are very concerned about global warming (83% in 2020), the number is repeated among those in the center (85% in 2020).
Among respondents who say they are “more to the right”, the number is relatively lower, but still the majority: 75% say they are “very concerned”; in 2020, they were 72%.
Among those who did not know or did not respond about their position on the political spectrum, 78% say they are very concerned about the climate. The number was 76% in 2020.
According to Ipec’s intelligence director, Rosi Rosendo, the research indicates that the high concern of Brazilians with the climate today is more connected with the experience of negative environmental impacts than with the general discussion presented by the news.
“As an example, we can verify the answers of the interviewees in regions where there were fires”, cites Rosendo.
In the states that comprise the Legal Amazon, 98% of respondents have already heard about fires. In the rest of the country, the number drops to 87%.
When asked about the three most responsible for fires in the Amazon, Brazilians pointed to loggers (76%), farmers (50%) and ranchers (49%). Then the miners (43%) and the government (38%). Indigenous people and NGOs were also mentioned by 8% and 6% of respondents respectively.
Asked what they consider more important among the options “protecting the environment, even if it means less employment and economic growth” or “promoting economic growth and job creation, even if it harms the environment”, 77% of respondents responded that environmental protection would be more important.
Only 13% prioritized economic growth, and 10% did not know or did not respond.
The percentage of respondents who responded that they prioritize economic growth over environmental protection is higher among the population over 55 years old (19%), educated only up to elementary school 1 (20%), further to the right of the political spectrum (20 %) and even among those who do not access the internet (27%).
Refuted by sustainability scholars, the dichotomy between environmental protection and economic growth pointed out in the question refers to the speeches maintained by the current federal government, which defends the reduction of environmental protection standards.
For 50% of Brazilians, those who can contribute most to solving the problem of fires in the Amazon are governments and, for 21%, citizens. Another 13% answered “companies and industry”, 9% bet on the military and 4% on NGOs.
For 74% of the population, fires are not necessary for economic growth and 86% agree that the practice harms Brazil’s image abroad.
Despite the high concern, practical engagement brings not so high numbers: 75% declare separating recyclable waste and 58% stop buying products that harm the environment.
Political engagement is even lower, however, it has been growing: 45% of Brazilians say they have already voted for a politician for their environmental proposals. In 2020, the number was 42%.
The vote for candidates linked to environmental proposals is higher among respondents from the left (65%), with higher education (55%) and from economic classes A and B (51%).
Only 17% of Brazilians have already participated in a demonstration or petition on climate change — the number is higher among those who have attended higher education (33%), more to the left (32%), young people between 18 and 24 years old (30% ) and economic classes A and B (26%).
With the exception of the questions about the Brazilian reality, the climate perception survey is based on a model from the American University of Yale, applied in the United States and in dozens of countries.
“There is still a gap between the level of concern and engagement, both in Brazil and in the United States. If they don’t organize themselves to demand political action, it becomes much easier for denialism [climático] gain ground”, says the director of the climate change communication program at Yale University, Anthony Leiserowitz.
However, he states that the worsening of extreme weather events in recent years has changed society’s position on the subject, with clear impacts on the American elections.
“In 2020, climate change was Americans’ number two concern out of 30 other options listed, including pandemic, crime and the economy. This had a profound impact on Democratic Party candidacies,” says Leiserowitz. “This is an example that this is not just another scientific issue, but a political one.”
