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United Nations Development Programme
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The Peoples’ Climate Vote

Results

The world’s biggest poll
on climate change

Results from the UN Development Programme and University of Oxford’s People’s Climate Vote, conducted from 7 October to 4 December 2020, covers half the world's population over the age of 14.

The People’s Climate Vote Global Report
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Public belief in the climate emergency, by country
Public Belief in the Climate Emergency, by Country Group
Public Belief in the Climate Emergency, by Region

Recognition of the climate emergency

A majority of people in every country surveyed believe that the world is not only in the grip of a devastating COVID-19 pandemic, but also in a state of climate emergency

World’s most popular climate policies

The survey asked people which of 18 climate policies they would like their country to pursue to address climate change. Overall, the most popular among participating countries were

- Conserve forests and land (54%)
- Use solar, wind and renewable power (53%)
- Climate friendly farming techniques (52%)
- Invest more money in green business and jobs (50%)

The World’s Most Popular Climate Policies
TOP 5 POLICIES BY GROUP
country
most popular climate policy
Small Island Developing States
68%
66%
64%
62%
58%
68%
Use climate-friendly farming techniques
66%
Invest more money in green businesses and jobs
64%
Use solar, wind and renewable power
62%
Conserve forests and land
58%
Build infrastructure and conserve nature to protect lives and livelihoods
High Income Countries
71%
68%
68%
64%
63%
71%
Conserve forests and land
68%
Use solar, wind and renewable power
68%
Keep the ocean and waterways healthy
64%
Reduce food waste
63%
Use climate-friendly farming techniques
Middle Income Countries
49%
49%
48%
47%
45%
49%
Use climate-friendly farming techniques
49%
Conserve forests and land
48%
Use solar, wind and renewable power
47%
Invest more money in green businesses and jobs
45%
Use more clean electric cars and buses, or bicycles
Least Developed Countries
52%
47%
46%
44%
43%
52%
Conserve forests and land
47%
Use solar, wind and renewable power
46%
Use climate-friendly farming techniques
44%
Invest more money in green businesses and jobs
43%
Use more clean electric cars and buses, or bicycles
TOP 5 POLICIES BY REGION
country
most popular climate policy
Arab States
48%
48%
47%
44%
44%
48%
Use climate-friendly farming techniques
48%
Use solar, wind and renewable power
47%
Conserve forests and land
44%
Use more clean electric cars and buses, or bicycles
44%
Invest more money in green businesses and jobs
Asia-Pacific
48%
47%
47%
47%
45%
48%
Conserve forests and land
47%
Use solar, wind and renewable power
47%
Use climate-friendly farming techniques
47%
Invest more money in green businesses and jobs
45%
Use more clean electric cars and buses, or bicycles
Eastern Europe & Central Asia
61%
54%
54%
52%
50%
61%
Conserve forests and land
54%
Use solar, wind and renewable power
54%
Use climate-friendly farming techniques
52%
Use more clean electric cars and buses, or bicycles
50%
Build infrastructure and conserve nature to protect lives and livelihoods
Latin America & Caribbean
59%
57%
56%
52%
51%
59%
Conserve forests and land
57%
Use solar, wind and renewable power
56%
Use climate-friendly farming techniques
52%
Use more clean electric cars and buses, or bicycles
51%
Invest more money in green businesses and jobs
Sub-Saharan Africa
53%
52%
52%
51%
44%
53%
Use solar, wind and renewable power
52%
Invest more money in green businesses and jobs
52%
Conserve forests and land
51%
Use climate-friendly farming techniques
44%
Use more clean electric cars and buses, or bicycles
Western Europe & North America
72%
70%
68%
65%
65%
72%
Conserve forests and land
70%
Keep the ocean and waterways healthy
68%
Use solar, wind and renewable power
65%
Build infrastructure and conserve nature to protect lives and livelihoods
65%
Use climate-friendly farming techniques

10 key insights

As countries make critical choices for their pledges under the Paris Agreement (NDCs), COVID-19 recoveries, and national development plans, public discourse and support can help drive levels of ambition and engagement. The Peoples’ Climate Vote results are meant to provide insights into public priorities on climate change policies across contexts and national circumstances. While all countries are facing a multitude of challenges, there are also opportunities to build a new future where all people can thrive. 
Popularity of Solar, Wind and Renewable Energy Power in Surveyed Countries with Highest Emissions from the Electricity/ Heating Sectors
Popularity of More Investment in the Green Economy and Jobs among G20 countries
Popularity of Nature-Based Climate Solutions Policies in Countries with Highest Emissions from Land-Use Change
Popularity of Climate Policies Focused on Company Regulation
Countries with Strongest Support for Keeping Oceans and Waterways Healthy
Popularity of Climate-Friendly Farming in Countries Largest Agricultural Sectors
Middle-Income Countries with Highest Support for 1) New Infrastructure and Nature Conservation to Protect Lives and Livelihoods and 2) Early Warning Systems
Popularity of Reducing Food Waste and/or Wasting Less Energy
Popularity of Plant-based Diets as a Climate Policy, by Country Group Compared to Overall Average
Popularity of Good, Affordable Insurance as a Climate Policy, by Country Group (Compared to Overall Average)

The climate crisis across demographics – gender / education / age

GENDER: While the gender gap was found to be small overall (4%), in some countries the gap was substantial.

EDUCATION: There were consistently very high levels of demand for climate action among people with post-secondary education in all countries.

AGE: Nearly 70% of people under 18 said that climate change is a global emergency, compared to 65% of those aged 18-35, 66% aged 36-59, and 58% of those aged over 60.

The Influence of Gender on Belief in the Climate Emergency, by Country
Public Belief in the Climate Emergency Among People with Post-Secondary Education
Public Belief in the Climate Emergency, by Age Group

People under age 18 in focus

Because the Peoples’ Climate Vote used a new and unconventional approach to survey people through gaming advertisements on mobile phones, it engaged new populations including a high number of young people.
Public Belief in the Climate Emergency Among Under-18s in Seven Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean
Public Belief in the Climate Emergency Among Under-18s in Seven Countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Public Belief in the Climate Emergency Among Under-18s in Seven Countries in the Arab States
Public Belief in the Climate Emergency Among Under-18s in Four Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa
Public Belief in the Climate Emergency Among Under 18s in Nine Countries in Asia and the Pacific
Public Belief in the Climate Emergency Among Under 18s in Eight Countries in Western Europe and North America

Representative results are not available for all questions in all countries. The boundaries and names shown, and the designations used on maps, in this document do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.

A new and unconventional approach to polling

Poll questions were distributed through unique invitations in mobile game apps around the world.

When a person played a game like Words with Friends or Angry Birds, the poll would replace the traditional in-game advertisement. This resulted in a huge, randomized sample.

To our knowledge, this has never been tried before. The survey produced data in many countries where similar polling results have never been available until now.

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