High Public Awareness and Willingness in India on Climate Change Impacts

Context:

• A Pew Research Center survey (January 8 – April 21, 2025) reveals that three out of four Indians (75%) believe climate change is negatively affecting their local areas.

• The survey covered nine middle-income countries — Argentina, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, and Turkey — highlighting comparative public perceptions on climate change.

Key Highlights:

Public Perception of Climate Change

• 75% of Indians report that climate change is already impacting their local environment.

• India ranks among the highest globally in perceived climate vulnerability.

• Public concern reflects lived experiences such as:

  • Extreme heat

  • Erratic rainfall

  • Water stress

Primary Climate Concerns (2025)

• Droughts: Concerned 40%+ Indians — remains the top climate worry.

• Prolonged hot weather: Concern increased sharply to 26%, indicating:

  • Rising awareness of heatwaves

  • Shifting perception from episodic events to chronic climate stress

Willingness to Act

• Over 75% across all age groups (18–34, 35–49, 50+) are willing to:

  • Modify consumption patterns

  • Adopt climate-friendly lifestyles

• India is unique among surveyed nations in showing uniform willingness across generations.

• 35% of Indians are willing to change lifestyles even if they do not feel personally affected, the second-highest among surveyed countries.

Confidence in Global Action

• Over 70% of Indians express confidence that:

  • International cooperation can significantly reduce climate change impacts.

• Indicates strong public support for:

  • Multilateral climate agreements

  • Global mitigation and adaptation efforts

Societal Implications

• High awareness provides a strong foundation for:

  • Behavioural climate policies

  • Community-level adaptation initiatives

• Editorial suggests India’s climate challenge is increasingly viewed as:

  • A collective social responsibility

  • Not merely an environmental issue

Key Concepts Involved:

• Climate Change: Long-term alteration of temperature and weather patterns due to anthropogenic activities.

• Mitigation: Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or enhance carbon sinks.

• Pew Research Center: Global non-partisan institution conducting opinion and social research.

• Climate Perception: Public understanding and subjective experience of climate risks.

UPSC Relevance (GS-wise):

GS 3 – Environment & Ecology

• Climate change impacts and public perception

• Mitigation and adaptation strategies

• Heatwaves, droughts, and climate vulnerability

GS 1 – Indian Society

• Changing environmental attitudes

• Inter-generational consensus on climate action

• Social readiness for lifestyle-based mitigation

Prelims Focus:

• Pew Research Center surveys

• Difference between mitigation and adaptation

• Climate change perception indicators

Mains Enrichment:

• Discuss how high public awareness can strengthen India’s climate governance and policy implementation.

• Evaluate the role of behavioural change alongside technological solutions in climate mitigation.