[Asahi Glass Foundation Public Interest Incorporated Foundation] 5th Environmental Crisis Awareness Survey of Consumers – The number one issue considered to be critical is “climate change” for the fifth consecutive year
*Asahi Glass Foundation*
Press release: September 4, 2024
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5th Environmental Crisis Awareness Survey of Consumers – The number one issue considered to be critical is “climate change” for the fifth consecutive year.
*In the era of “global boiling,” approximately 75% of people take action on their own.
Approximately 23% took more proactive actions such as “switching to renewable energy” and “donating to environmental organizations”* The Asahi Glass Foundation (Chairman: Takuya Shimamura, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) is a public interest incorporated foundation that has 1,092 men and women in their 10s to 60s (Gen Z: 18 to 24 years old) from all over the country.
In order to understand their awareness of the crisis and their actions towards environmental issues, the 5th
We conducted a survey of consumers’ environmental crisis awareness. This survey was conducted over the Internet under the supervision of Professor Richika Kanie Kanie, Graduate School of Media and
Governance, Keio University.
The main findings are as follows.
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For the fifth consecutive year, the No. 1 item considered to be the most critical domestic environmental problem was climate change, with concerns about the occurrence of linear rain bands, prolonged heatwaves, and food shortages. 2nd place “Population”, 3rd place “Society, Economy and Environment, Policies and Measures”. *
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Regarding “loss of biodiversity,” which is a major issue along with “climate change,” an average of 47.7% of respondents across the country say “I feel it around me.” Adults are slightly more interested than Gen Z.
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* ◆Environmental Crisis Clock (R) (
When comparing awareness of the environmental crisis to the time (range 0:01 to 12:00), respondents said it was “6:59,” making them feel “quite anxious.” By generation, adults have a higher sense of crisis than those in the Z generation at 6:43 a.m. and adults at 7:13 a.m.
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*Although there is a difference of more than two hours from the Japanese expert’s response of “extremely anxious” at 9:37, both respondents have a high sense of crisis. *
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On average, 74.5% of people nationwide are taking some kind of action against the “age of global boiling”. There is a trend towards actions that can be taken in daily life, such as 1st place “Use eco-friendly means of transportation,” 2nd place “Choose local and seasonal food,” and 3rd place “Recycle home appliances, clothing, etc.” . 22.5% of people are actively taking actions such as “switching to renewable energy” and “donating to environmental organizations.”
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* ◆ As of 2023, the national average achievement rate for SDGs is 24.7%. Generation Z accounts for 30.5%, which is slightly higher than the adult generation (23.8%). *
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The SDGs that I think will be most likely to be achieved in 2030 are 1st place: “Zero Hunger”, 2nd place: “Safe water and sanitation around the world”, and 3rd place: “Eliminate Poverty”. The goals that I think are least achieved are 1st place: “Eliminate poverty,” 2nd place: “Achieve gender equality,” and 3rd place: “Decent work and economic growth.” Continuing from last year, Gen Z’s top choice was “Let’s achieve gender equality,” showing a pessimistic tendency towards achieving gender equality.
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*This release can also be viewed on our foundation website
(https://www.af-info.or.jp
* -Survey overview-*
・Survey purpose: To understand the actual state of awareness and behavior regarding environmental issues among ordinary citizens in Japan.
・Survey target: 1,092 people (522 people aged 18-24, 570 aged 25-69) ・Survey area: Nationwide
・Research method: Internet research
・Survey period: Wednesday, June 26, 2024 to Friday, June 28, 2024 ・Number of valid responses: 1,092 samples
・Investigator: Asahi Glass Foundation
*Questions Q1, Q3, Q5, and Q6 are related to questions related to the world’s environmental issues conducted by the Asahi Glass Foundation. The 2024 survey of “Survey on Global Environmental Issues and the Survival of Humanity” targeted at experts,
This is a simplified version of the survey for general consumers. *The national average results for each question are estimated by adjusting the age structure to match the population structure of Japan.
*The “Survey on Global Environmental Issues and the Survival of Humanity” has been conducted every year since 1992.
Based on the database held by the Asahi Glass Foundation, governments and local governments, NGOs/NPOs, universities and research institutes around the world,
Inform experts on environmental issues in companies, the mass media, the private sector, etc. about the current state of the global environment.
It’s something to ask. The “Environmental Crisis Clock (R)” displays the sense of crisis that experts have for the survival of humanity using the hands of the clock.
We set our own standards and conduct a survey every year.
* -Investigation details-*
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For the fifth consecutive year, the No. 1 item considered to be the most critical domestic environmental problem was climate change, with concerns about the occurrence of linear rain bands, prolonged heatwaves, and food shortages. 2nd place “Population”, 3rd place “Society, Economy and Environment, Policies and Measures”. *
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Q1. When considering environmental issues in Japan, please select three items from the table below that you think are in critical condition and rank them from 1st to 3rd. Also, please describe the reason specifically. *
* *The items used are the same as those used in the “Survey on Global Environmental Issues and the Survival of Humanity” targeted at experts*
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Regarding environmental issues in Japan, the most frequently cited item that is considered to be in a critical state is “climate change” (45.5%), which has been the top choice for the fifth consecutive year in this survey, which has been conducted annually since 2020. It took 1st place. Respondents cited concerns about food shortages due to heavy rains in linear precipitation zones, prolonged heatwaves, and the resulting effects on agricultural crops.
・This was followed by “Population” (13.3%) in second place and “Society, Economy and Environment, Policies and Measures” (11.4%) in third place.
Regarding “Population,” it was 6.9% in the same survey in 2020, but this year’s result was 6.4 points higher as interest has increased year by year. Concerns have been raised about Japan’s declining population due to a sharp decline in the birth rate.
・The top three rankings were the same for both Generation Z and adults, indicating that all generations have a sense of crisis about climate change.
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According to the results of this year’s Asahi Glass Foundation survey of experts, the most frequently chosen item when considering environmental issues was climate change.
・The main reasons for choosing the top three items are as follows. (*Partial excerpt)
-Climate change-
“The maximum temperature is rising year by year, and climate change, which in the past was called *global warming*, is now being called global boiling*, making us anxious about the future of the earth.” “Compared to when I was a child, the way it rains is unusual, and there were no linear precipitation bands.”
. Lately, summer temperatures have often exceeded 30 degrees from May to October, so it feels like we no longer have a pleasant season. “Looking at the fact that the temperature is rising year by year and the way the rain falls is different from before, we are worried that if things continue like this, it will not only be a rain problem, but food problems will also become serious.”
I think it will become
-Population-
“Population decline is a problem in all regions except large cities.Also, since we entered an aging society with a declining birthrate, the number of births has been decreasing year by year, and I feel that we are in a critical situation.”
“Now that I’m old enough to pay my pension, I realized that a small group of young people are supporting many elderly people.”
“I learned in class that the birthrate is declining, the population is aging, the number of immigrants is increasing, public safety is worsening, the tax burden is becoming heavier, and depopulation is progressing.”
-Society, economy and environment, policies and measures-
“Climate change is a serious crisis, but it is caused by human activities, so there is a greater sense of crisis that there is still no progress in things that can be improved through human efforts.” “Even though prices are soaring due to high prices, salaries are not rising very much, and I feel that society is not working properly.” “Salaries are not going up, prices are going up, social welfare is suffering from system fatigue, and politics is not functioning at all.”
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Regarding “loss of biodiversity,” which is a major issue along with “climate change,” an average of 47.7% of respondents across the country say “I feel it around me.” Adults are slightly more interested than Gen Z.
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Q2. Along with “climate change,” “loss of biodiversity” (*) is also a major issue. Do you ever feel that biodiversity is being lost around you? *
* *Loss of biodiversity refers to the increase in endangered species and loss of habitat due to deforestation, etc. *
*As a result, we will lose many of the benefits that nature provides to humans* ・
8.4% of respondents said they often felt that biodiversity was being lost around them, and 39.3% said they felt it sometimes, for a total of 47.7%, indicating a tendency for about half of the nation to feel the loss.
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By generation, 9.0% of Generation Z “I often feel this way” and 33.1% “Sometimes feel that way” for a total of 42.1%, while adults of the adult generation had 7.7% “I often feel this way” and 40.2% said that they “sometimes feel this way” for a total of 47.9%. %, which was 5.8 points higher for the adult generation.
* ◆Environmental Crisis Clock (R) (
When comparing awareness of the environmental crisis to the time (range 0:01 to 12:00), respondents said it was “6:59,” making them feel “quite anxious.” By generation, adults have a higher sense of crisis than those in the Z generation at 6:43 a.m. and adults at 7:13 a.m.
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*Although there is a difference of more than two hours from the Japanese expert’s response of “extremely anxious” at 9:37, both respondents have a high sense of crisis. *
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Q3. The diagram below is called the “Environmental Crisis Clock (R),” which compares awareness of environmental issues to the hands of a clock. Comparing the awareness of environmental issues in your country or region to the hands of a clock 0:01
Please answer ○○ hour ○○ minute within the range from 12:00 to 12:00. (*For convenience, enter the time in 10 minute increments)*
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If we were to compare the sense of crisis regarding environmental issues to the time of day, the national average would be “6:59,” which resulted in respondents feeling “very anxious.” By generation, the Z generation said it was “6:43,” and the adult generation was “7:13.”Although the adult generation felt more in danger, both said they were “quite anxious.”
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The same past survey found that the national average was 6:30 in 2020, 6:21 in 2021, 7:01 in 2022, and 6:26 in 2023, with some changes depending on the year. Although there were differences, there was a tendency for people to continue to feel a sense of crisis.
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The Asahi Glass Foundation’s Environmental Crisis Clock (R) for this year, targeted at experts, answered that the time was “9:37,” and that they were “extremely worried.” However, in the general public’s opinion, the time was “extremely anxious.” I found that there are varying degrees of severity.
・Many respondents cited abnormal weather conditions in Japan and overseas as the main reason for feeling anxious.
The reason is as follows. (*Partial excerpt)
“With global warming, we hear the term ‘unprecedented’ every year.” “Various environmental crises are becoming a problem on a global scale, and it feels like little progress has been made domestically in countermeasures.”
“In recent years, summers have been so hot that children have to play outside, or even if they stay indoors, it’s too hot and I think they can get heatstroke.”
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The national average is 74.5% of people are taking some kind of action on their own in response to the “era of global boiling”. There is a trend towards actions that can be taken in daily life, such as 1st place “Use eco-friendly means of transportation,” 2nd place “Choose local and seasonal food,” and 3rd place “Recycle home appliances, clothing, etc.” . 22.5% of people are actively taking actions such as “switching to renewable energy” and “donating to environmental organizations.”
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*Q4.* *
In July 2023, extreme heat waves that cannot be described by the word “global warming” occurred in many parts of the world, and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned that “the era of global boiling has arrived.” Regarding this*
*As an individual, please answer the actions that apply to you on a regular basis. (Multiple answers)*
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The national average of people who are taking some kind of action on their own in response to the era of global boiling (other than the 25.5% who answered “I haven’t done anything”) was 74.5%.
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The most common approach was “Use eco-friendly transportation such as public transportation, cycling, or walking” at 36.2%, followed by “Consume food locally and choose seasonal vegetables and fruits” at 27.9%. did.
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Choose one of the more proactive actions, such as “switching to renewable energy such as solar power generation or wind power generation” or “participating in environmental conservation activities such as beach cleanups and tree planting”. 22.5% of people did so.
– In this year’s Asahi Glass Foundation survey of experts, many people cited the above initiatives.
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On the other hand, 25.5% said they are not doing anything, and compared to 9.9% who said they do not feel threatened by environmental issues in Q1, they are not taking actual action even though they have a sense of crisis regarding environmental issues. It turns out that there are 15.6% people.
* ◆ As of 2023, the national average achievement rate for SDGs is 24.7%. Generation Z accounts for 30.5%, which is slightly higher than the adult generation (23.8%). *
*Q5.
Overall, to what extent do you think the 17 SDGs have been achieved as of 2023, towards the goals by 2030? Please answer with a number between 1 and 100, with 100% achieving all goals. *
*If you don’t think you’re on track, enter 0. *
* *SDGs (Sustainable Development)
Goals (Sustainable Development Goals) are international goals adopted at the United Nations Summit in September 2015, aiming for a sustainable and better world by 2030*
・The national average for the perceived achievement of SDGs as of 2023 was 24.7%.
・On the other hand, 14.7% answered that the achievement level was 0%, which was a harsh evaluation from just over 10%.
・By generation, the average for Generation Z was 30.5%, and the average for adults was 23.8%, which was 6.7 points higher for Generation Z.
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The results of this year’s Asahi Glass Foundation survey of experts showed that the younger generation had a similar tendency to have a higher level of sensory achievement, but the world average was 31.0%, which was higher than Japan’s national average of 24.7%. .
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The SDGs that I think will be most likely to be achieved in 2030 are 1st place: “Zero Hunger”, 2nd place: “Safe water and sanitation around the world”, and 3rd place: “Eliminate Poverty”. The goals that I think are least achieved are 1st place: “Eliminate poverty,” 2nd place: “Achieve gender equality,” and 3rd place: “Decent work and economic growth.” Continuing from last year, Gen Z’s top choice was “Let’s achieve gender equality,” showing a pessimistic tendency towards achieving gender equality.
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Q6. In your country or region, choose 3 of the 17 SDGs that you think will be highly (or least) achieved in 2030, and rank them 1st to 3rd in order of highest (or lowest). Please rank them and answer with your target number. *
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Among the SDGs, the ones that I think are most likely to be achieved by 2030 are 1st place: “Zero Hunger,” 2nd place: “Safe water and sanitation,” and 3rd place: “Eliminate poverty.” Ta.
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In this year’s Asahi Glass Foundation survey of experts, the number one answer for what they thought their country/region would achieve most in 2030 was “Let’s create a foundation for industry and technological innovation.”
・On average, 26.7% of respondents said, “I think the level of achievement is close to 0” in all cases, indicating some harsh opinions regarding achievement.
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Of the SDGs, the goals that I think are least likely to be achieved by 2030 are 1st place: “Eradicate poverty,” 2nd place: “Achieve gender equality,” and 3rd place: “Decent work and economic growth.” ・
According to this year’s Asahi Glass Foundation survey of experts, the number one thing that they think their country/region will have a low level of achievement in 2030 is “Let’s eliminate poverty.” ・
For both Gen Z and adult generations, the top three items were the same, although there was a difference in order, but Gen Z’s first place was “Let’s realize gender equality” again from last year, and gender equality, which has become a social issue in recent years. There was a tendency to be pessimistic about solving the problem of discrimination.
* -Supervisor’s opinion on this survey-*
The heat is getting more intense every year. This year’s heat wave was so severe that it made us feel closer to “global boiling.” The results of this survey also make us realize that the effects of climate change, which was thought to be a distant event, are now becoming more familiar. For many people, the effects of climate change, particularly the occurrence of linear rain bands, prolonged heatwaves, and food shortages, are of paramount concern. In response to this, around three out of four people are starting to take some action that they can do within their own area.
That in itself is something that should be viewed positively. However, now that a more in-depth system-wide transformation is required, it is important to increase the number of people who take active action, which remains at around one in four people, and to accelerate changes in policies and companies to achieve this. The GSDR2023, which was compiled and released by the United Nations last year, concluded that it will be impossible to realize a sustainable world by 2030 unless we accelerate change.
This survey found that there is a strong sense of achievement of SDG Goal 2, “Zero Hunger,” and Goal 1, “Eradicate Poverty,” by 2030. However, in reality, the degree to which these goals have been achieved has been set back due to factors such as the coronavirus pandemic, the climate crisis, and the effects of war. When it comes to these issues, isn’t there a sense that “this is another country”?
However, the world’s challenges are interconnected. Climate change is impacting the harvest of agricultural and seafood crops, leaving hungry people without food and threatening the incomes of the poor. In this age of globalization, it is important to remember that negative chains are creating distortions somewhere in the world. That is why it is important to advance the changes that we can.
For example, to make it easier to switch to renewable energy, policies are needed to make renewable energy a more familiar energy source by developing infrastructure and introducing subsidies. The results of this study suggest that such changes in policy and corporate strategy are necessary in order to link changes in awareness to larger systemic changes. Now that people’s awareness is on the rise, there is a need for someone to “steer” that awareness toward system change.
* -Supervisor Profile-*
* Norichika Kanie*
Professor, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University Representative of Keio University SFC Research Institute xSDG Lab. He assumed his current position after serving as an assistant professor at Kitakyushu City University and an associate professor at Tokyo Institute of Technology.
He is a member of the Japanese Government’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Promotion Roundtable, a member of the Cabinet Office’s Local Government SDGs Promotion Evaluation and Investigation Committee, and served as an independent outside director of RENOVA Co., Ltd., a renewable energy company, for four years from 2017. Specializes in international relations, sustainability, and earth system governance. Participated in the formulation of SDGs at the United Nations from the conceptual stage. He is a leading expert on SDGs research and strives to balance research and practice.
His recent book is “SDGs (Sustainable Development
Goals) Chuko Shinsho, 2020”. Selected by the United Nations
Secretary-General as a member of 15 independent scientists and appointed as a member of the United Nations Global Sustainable Wrote the 2023 edition of the Development Report (GSDR). Ph.D. (Policy/Media).