New Zealanders expect to be impacted by climate change, their concern is increasing, and they are prepared to take action.
Climate change is a critical issue for New Zealand. Not just the pressing need to reduce our emissions, but also dealing with the inevitable and growing impacts that our changing climate will bring. As an insurer we naturally focus on the impacts that will come from our weather and the storms, floods and other natural disaster it can create.
Reducing these impacts requires us all to make better choices about how we live with the challenges that nature throws at us. In this year’s survey* we have focused on some of the decisions and actions that we can all take as individuals, as well as our normal look at peoples’ attitude towards climate change and how the country should adapt to its impacts.
Overall, a majority New Zealanders expect to be impacted, their concern is increasing, and they are prepared to take action. But there continues to be big gap between this sentiment and the amount of action people are taking. Thankfully, a majority of people are doing so, especially if they have already been impacted by events like the flooding and cyclones earlier this year. But we cannot afford to wait for the impacts before we act.
There are simple things we can all do to understand what a changing climate might mean for us and use that knowledge in the choices we make to protect ourselves and our homes. We must also be prepared to encourage, understand and support the steps that the Government, councils and businesses need to take, so that we are all working together to reduce the harm that our changing climate will bring. At IAG we are prepared play our part.
If you’d like to talk more about climate change or our survey findings, please get in touch with us at sustainability@iag.co.nz.
*This survey was conducted by Ipsos who used a nationally representative sample of at least 1,000 people. The survey has a margin of error of 3.1%.