How public concern over climate change has surged

UK voters rank the environment as the second most important issue facing the country, behind Covid-19.

Climate change and the environment is now a more important issue for voters than the economy, according to a long-running Ipsos Mori survey.

The environment is now a more important issue for voters than the economy
 Share of Ipsos Mori survey respondants saying "Pollution/Environment/Climate change" is a major issue facing Britain today
  <script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(e){if(void 0!==e.data&amp;#91;"datawrapper-height"]){var t=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var a in e.data&amp;#91;"datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r&lt;t.length;r++){if(t&amp;#91;r].contentWindow===e.source)t&amp;#91;r].style.height=e.data&amp;#91;"datawrapper-height"]&amp;#91;a]+"px"}}}))}();
</script><div class="source-text">Survey is based on a representative sample of around 1,000 UK adults, interviewed every month.
 </div></div></code></pre>



<p>In the poll, carried out in August, 32 per cent of respondents described the environment as a major issue, compared with 28 per cent in the case of the economy. Only the Covid-19 pandemic, which 40 per cent cited, was rated more important. </p>



<p>The share of votes is the second-highest level of concern ever recorded for the issue in the Ipsos Mori survey. Only in July 1989, when the highest UK temperature since 1976 was recorded at Heathrow, was the environment ranked higher. </p><div class="stream-item ad stream-item-in-post stream-item-inline-post ad ">                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        <div class="GOOGLE_ADS_SLOT GAS_mobile  GAS_tablet" data-sizes="300,250"   style="display:nonemargin-bottom:24px">
</div>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            </div>



<p>Mike Clemence, a researcher behind the survey, said the result can be attributed to the “publication of <a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/environment/2021/08/dangerous-climate-change-has-arrived-ipcc-report-warning-world-ahead">the new IPCC report</a> and reports of fires and flooding around the world”.</p>
<div class="july22-newsletter">
<section class="newsletter-inner-container" >
    <div class="newsletter-inner-container__left">
        
<div id="logo" class="c-header-title__logo " >

        
    <a title="New Statesman" href="https://www.newstatesman.com/"
        class="header__logo">
        <img src="https://www.newstatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/09/TNS_master_logo.svg" alt="New Statesman" >    </a>

        
</div><!-- #logo /-->

                <span class="c-read-next__article__headline">Subscribe to the Saturday Read</span>
        <a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/all-newsletters" class="all-newsl">View all newsletters <span class="icon icon-chevron-right"></span></a>
    </div>
    <div class="newsletter-inner-container__right">
        <a id="newsletter-a" onclick="showNewsPopUp(this.id)">
            <span class="c-read-next__article__headline">Your new guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture each weekend – from the New Statesman.</span>
            <span class="author"></span>
            <button id="newsletter" onclick="showNewsPopUp(this.id)">Sign up here</button>
        </a>
    </div>
</section>
<section class="pop-up" id="newsletter-pop-up">
    <form class="pop-up__form" id="pop-up-form" method="post" target="submitFrame" action="https://go.newstatesman.com/l/509131/2021-06-07/m9pm2" onsubmit="afterSubmit()">
        <div class="pop-up__close icon-close" onclick="hideNewsPopUp()"></div>
        <div class="pop-up__inner">
            <span class="pop-up__semi-title">Select and enter your email address</span>

                        <label for="_pardot-1">
                <h4>The Saturday Read</h4>
                <input id="_pardot-1"type="checkbox" name="weekly_highlights" value="TRUE" onclick="validateNewsletters(this.form, this.form.email)">
            </label>
            <span class="pop-up__label-description">Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com</span>
                        <label for="_pardot-2">
                <h4>Morning Call</h4>
                <input id="_pardot-2"type="checkbox" name="morning_call" value="TRUE" onclick="validateNewsletters(this.form, this.form.email)">
            </label>
            <span class="pop-up__label-description">The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com</span>
                      
        </div>
        
        <div class="pop-up__submit-box" id="submit-box">
            <figure class="pop-up__submit-box__trigger">
                <svg width="16" height="9" viewBox="0 0 16 9" fill="none" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
                    <circle cx="2.36133" cy="1.5" r="1.5" fill="white"/>
                    <circle cx="8.36133" cy="1.5" r="1.5" fill="white"/>
                    <circle cx="14.3613" cy="1.5" r="1.5" fill="white"/>
                    <circle cx="2.36133" cy="7.5" r="1.5" fill="white"/>
                    <circle cx="8.36133" cy="7.5" r="1.5" fill="white"/>
                    <circle cx="14.3613" cy="7.5" r="1.5" fill="white"/>
                </svg>
            </figure>
            <span class="pop-up__error-newsletters"></span>

            <div class="pop-up__input-wrapper">
                <input type="text" name="email" class="email-input" required placeholder="Enter your email address" onchange="validateNewsletters(this.form, this.form.email)"/>
                <label for="email">Your email address</label>
                <span class="pop-up__error"></span>
            </div>

                        <div class="job-filter-box">
                <input type="checkbox" class="job-type toggled" id="job-filter">
                <label for="job-filter" id="job-filter-label">Job title</label>
                <span class="icon-chevron-down"></span>

                 <ul id="filter-jobs">
                    <li value="" selected disabled hidden>Job title</li>
                                          <li value="Administration / Office">Administration / Office</li>
                                          <li value="Arts and Culture">Arts and Culture</li>
                                          <li value="Board Member">Board Member</li>
                                          <li value="Business / Corporate Services">Business / Corporate Services</li>
                                          <li value="Client / Customer Services">Client / Customer Services</li>
                                          <li value="Communications">Communications</li>
                                          <li value="Construction, Works, Engineering">Construction, Works, Engineering</li>
                                          <li value="Education, Curriculum and Teaching">Education, Curriculum and Teaching</li>
                                          <li value="Environment, Conservation and NRM">Environment, Conservation and NRM</li>
                                          <li value="Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance">Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance</li>
                                          <li value="Finance Management">Finance Management</li>
                                          <li value="Health - Medical and Nursing Management">Health - Medical and Nursing Management</li>
                                          <li value="HR, Training and Organisational Development">HR, Training and Organisational Development</li>
                                          <li value="Information and Communications Technology">Information and Communications Technology</li>
                                          <li value="Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives">Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives</li>
                                          <li value="Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities">Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities</li>
                                          <li value="Legal Officers and Practitioners">Legal Officers and Practitioners</li>
                                          <li value="Librarians and Library Management">Librarians and Library Management</li>
                                          <li value="Management">Management</li>
                                          <li value="Marketing">Marketing</li>
                                          <li value="OH&S, Risk Management">OH&S, Risk Management</li>
                                          <li value="Operations Management">Operations Management</li>
                                          <li value="Planning, Policy, Strategy">Planning, Policy, Strategy</li>
                                          <li value="Printing, Design, Publishing, Web">Printing, Design, Publishing, Web</li>
                                          <li value="Projects, Programs and Advisors">Projects, Programs and Advisors</li>
                                          <li value="Property, Assets and Fleet Management">Property, Assets and Fleet Management</li>
                                          <li value="Public Relations and Media">Public Relations and Media</li>
                                          <li value="Purchasing and Procurement">Purchasing and Procurement</li>
                                          <li value="Quality Management">Quality Management</li>
                                          <li value="Science and Technical Research and Development">Science and Technical Research and Development</li>
                                          <li value="Security and Law Enforcement">Security and Law Enforcement</li>
                                          <li value="Service Delivery">Service Delivery</li>
                                          <li value="Sport and Recreation">Sport and Recreation</li>
                                          <li value="Travel, Accommodation, Tourism">Travel, Accommodation, Tourism</li>
                                          <li value="Wellbeing, Community / Social Services">Wellbeing, Community / Social Services</li>
                                    </ul>
            </div>
            
                        <select name="job_title" id="job-dropdown">
                <option value="" selected disabled hidden>Job title</option>
                                    <option value="Administration / Office">Administration / Office</option>
                                    <option value="Arts and Culture">Arts and Culture</option>
                                    <option value="Board Member">Board Member</option>
                                    <option value="Business / Corporate Services">Business / Corporate Services</option>
                                    <option value="Client / Customer Services">Client / Customer Services</option>
                                    <option value="Communications">Communications</option>
                                    <option value="Construction, Works, Engineering">Construction, Works, Engineering</option>
                                    <option value="Education, Curriculum and Teaching">Education, Curriculum and Teaching</option>
                                    <option value="Environment, Conservation and NRM">Environment, Conservation and NRM</option>
                                    <option value="Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance">Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance</option>
                                    <option value="Finance Management">Finance Management</option>
                                    <option value="Health - Medical and Nursing Management">Health - Medical and Nursing Management</option>
                                    <option value="HR, Training and Organisational Development">HR, Training and Organisational Development</option>
                                    <option value="Information and Communications Technology">Information and Communications Technology</option>
                                    <option value="Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives">Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives</option>
                                    <option value="Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities">Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities</option>
                                    <option value="Legal Officers and Practitioners">Legal Officers and Practitioners</option>
                                    <option value="Librarians and Library Management">Librarians and Library Management</option>
                                    <option value="Management">Management</option>
                                    <option value="Marketing">Marketing</option>
                                    <option value="OH&S, Risk Management">OH&S, Risk Management</option>
                                    <option value="Operations Management">Operations Management</option>
                                    <option value="Planning, Policy, Strategy">Planning, Policy, Strategy</option>
                                    <option value="Printing, Design, Publishing, Web">Printing, Design, Publishing, Web</option>
                                    <option value="Projects, Programs and Advisors">Projects, Programs and Advisors</option>
                                    <option value="Property, Assets and Fleet Management">Property, Assets and Fleet Management</option>
                                    <option value="Public Relations and Media">Public Relations and Media</option>
                                    <option value="Purchasing and Procurement">Purchasing and Procurement</option>
                                    <option value="Quality Management">Quality Management</option>
                                    <option value="Science and Technical Research and Development">Science and Technical Research and Development</option>
                                    <option value="Security and Law Enforcement">Security and Law Enforcement</option>
                                    <option value="Service Delivery">Service Delivery</option>
                                    <option value="Sport and Recreation">Sport and Recreation</option>
                                    <option value="Travel, Accommodation, Tourism">Travel, Accommodation, Tourism</option>
                                    <option value="Wellbeing, Community / Social Services">Wellbeing, Community / Social Services</option>
                            </select>
            
            
            <div class="g-recaptcha" data-callback="clickedCaptcha" data-expired-callback="expiredCaptcha" data-sitekey="6LdVQtweAAAAAAjauy_QyK3j3z-JP6adD2MxZAzH"></div>
            <span class="captcha__error" id="captcha_error"></span>
            <input type="hidden" name="New_Statesman_Privacy_opt_in" value="True">
            <button disabled="true" onclick="validateNewsletters(this.form, this.form.email)" class="submit reverse-colors">Sign up</button>
            
            <div class="pop-up__check">    
                <input id="privacy-check" type="checkbox" name="consent" required checked style="display:none;" value="True">
                <span class="text-span"><div>Visit our <a href="https://www.newstatesman.com/privacy-policy">privacy Policy</a> for more information about our services, how Progressive Media Investments may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.</div></span>
            </div>
        </div> 
    </form>
</section>
<section class="pop-up" id="thank-you-pop-up">
    <button class="thank-you__close icon-close" onclick="hideNewsPopUp()"></button>

    <div class="thank-you">
        <span class="thank-you__header">THANK YOU</span>
        <p class="thank-you__text"></p>
        <button class="thank-you__button" onclick="hideNewsPopUp()">Close</button>
    </div>
</section>
<!-- this iFrame is used to submit the form in it and to skip the redirect to pardot -->
<iframe sandbox id="submitFrame" name="submitFrame">


    Content from our partners

        
        
			
        

            
            
                A luxury cruise is an elegant way to make memories that will last a lifetime
            
            
                                    
                     Spotlight                                
        
    
            
        
			
        

            
            
                An innovative approach to regional equity
            
            
                                    
                     Spotlight                                
        
    
            
        
			
        

            
            
                ADHD in the criminal justice system: a case for change – with Takeda
            
            
                                    
                     Spotlight                                
        
    
        

    
        Related
        
        
            
			            
                Environment                
                    Can GB Energy make Britain an energy superpower?
                
                
                                    
            

            
        

            
        
            
			            
                Nature                
                    The secrets of the heath
                
                
                                    
            

            
        

            
        
            
			            
                Climate                
                    Can Labour’s GB Energy deliver green socialism?



        
    
    
        
                        
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                    
                            

                            
                
                                            
                    
                        Nick Ferris
                                            
                                    
                                @nichferris
                            
                

                    
                        Nick Ferris is a data journalist at New Statesman Media Group.