Most Pinoys see dangers of climate change

MANILA, Philippines — Around seven in every 10 Filipinos believe that climate change is dangerous for the environment, the Philippines and their respective families, according to a recent survey by Pulse Asia.

Results of the Sept. 10 to 14 survey released yesterday revealed that 68 percent of the respondents believe that climate change is dangerous for the environment.

Some 11 percent said it is not dangerous, while 21 percent were undecided.

Another 69 percent said climate change is dangerous for the Philippines, with 10 percent saying it is not dangerous and 21 percent undecided.

Asked about their view on climate change and its impact on their families, 71 percent said it was dangerous, while 12 percent said it is not dangerous.

Another 17 percent were ambivalent.

The survey found a slim majority of the respondents saying they either have sufficient or wide knowledge about climate change.

Eleven percent said they have “wide knowledge” about climate change, down two points from 13 percent obtained in a similar survey conducted in June last year, while 44 percent said their knowledge about the issue is “not wide but sufficient,” up from 34 percent last year.

Meanwhile, 40 percent said they have “little knowledge” about climate change while five percent said they have no or “almost no knowledge” about the issue, down from 46 percent and seven percent, respectively.

By area, knowledge about climate change is highest among those in the Visayas (13 percent “wide knowledge,” 56 percent “sufficient knowledge”), followed by those in Metro Manila (nine percent “wide knowledge,” 48 percent “sufficient knowledge”), rest of Luzon (eight percent “wide knowledge,” 44 percent “sufficient knowledge”) and Mindanao (14 percent “wide knowledge,” 34 percent “sufficient knowledge”).

In contrast, the lack of knowledge about climate change is highest among those in Mindanao (40 percent “little knowledge,” 11 percent “almost no knowledge/none”), followed by those in Balance Luzon (45 percent “little knowledge,” three percent “almost no knowledge/none”), Metro Manila (41 percent “little knowledge,” five percent “almost no knowledge/none”) and the Visayas (29 percent “little knowledge,”