All sectors believe climate change a problem

Survey shows all sectors believe climate change a problem, emissions trading supported

A large majority in all business sectors believe climate change is a problem.

The most concerned sectors are those providing personal and other services (86%), followed by Government and Defence (83%), and health and community services (82%).

In the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector 74% believe climate change is a problem, 37% saying it is "urgent".

According to a nationwide ShapeNZ survey of 3551 respondents, in all 15 sectors more people favoured New Zealand becoming a global leader in managing its response to climate change to other options, including moving at the same pace as other countries, doing little or doing as little as possible.

The sector most in favour of global leadership on the issue is the services sector (69% favouring this approach), followed by construction (61%). The major agriculture, farming and fishing sector supports a global leadership approach by 50% with 29% for moving at the same pace as other countries.

There is majority support within all sectors for the proposed emissions trading scheme.

The construction (65%) and Government sectors (63%) support it most, while sectors with greatest likely involvement in emissions reduction like agriculture, forestry and fishing support it 44% (with 36% opposed), transport and storage 49% to 23%, manufacturing 51% to 37%.

Manufacturing most supports the idea of putting a border tax on imports from countries which do not lace a cost of carbon on their emitters (64% for an import tax). The rural sector also backs this (51% for, 20% against) – and they're supported by those in the accommodation, café and restaurant sector (61% for, 17% against).

Asked whether the country will have more or fewer economic opportunities available as a result of climate change, most see greater opportunities than problems in all sectors bar one, Finance and Insurance. It is the only one to go negative at 13% positive, 20% negative. However 44% in this sector thought it would make no difference.

The survey was undertaken between February 26 and April 21, 2008 (with most people responding between February 16 and March 31). The survey is weighted by age, gender, income, employment status, personal income and party vote 2005 to provide a nationally representative population sample. The maximum margin of error on the national sample is or – 1.6%. In sub samples, such as the breakdown by sector, the margins of error vary and are set out in tables released by ShapeNZ today.

The New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development, whose 71 member companies' $44 billion in annual sales equate to more than 34% of the gross domestic product, runs ShapeNZ.

It's Chief Executive, Peter Neilson, says the underlying message from the survey is that a majority in all sectors believe climate change is a problem to be managed now or urgently. They also want the country to lead and think the emissions trading scheme will work.

ENDS

See... ShapeNZ_Feb_08_3551_climate_change_survey_by_industry_group.htm

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