82pct know human activities cause climate change: Monash survey

Climate change is at our doorstep and according to a Monash University Malaysia survey, eight in 10 Malaysians are either alarmed or concerned about climate change while 82 percent know that human activities cause climate change.

The survey also suggests that there is no pulling the wool over the eyes of this nation because 97 percent of Malaysians are aware of climate change and understand that it is happening.

Confirming this finding, 60 percent of those surveyed say they have been affected directly or indirectly by the growing occurrence of extreme weather events resulting from climate change such as storms, floods, and droughts.

This has affected their daily lives, health, and economic well-being.

A first of its kind, the survey saw over 1,000 respondents nationwide aged 18 and above, who were surveyed according to age, race, location, and gender quotas.

Monash said in a statement yesterday that the Malaysian public knew about climate change and 32 percent believe climate change is presently causing harm to daily lives.

Another 35 percent believe it can cause harm to the population within the next decade, read the statement.

The study was led by Azliyana Azhari from the Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub in Malaysia which is dedicated to researching climate communications in Southeast Asia.

Malaysia’s willingness to change

The survey also reveals Malaysians’ willingness to change with 79 percent saying they would like to or are planning to install household solar panels while 51 percent are planning to start composting kitchen waste.

Meanwhile, small yet significant behavioural changes being practiced are bringing their own shopping bags when buying groceries (65 percent) and having switched to environmentally friendly products (63 percent).

Shah Alam candidates focus on floods as storms loom

Explainer: What the latest UN science says about climate change

Quarries in Bukit Lagong forest 'will harm FRIM's Unesco application'

Bukit Lagong: More quarries with royal, political links unearthed