Greta still has more work to do: Most Russians believe in climate change but are not yet willing to reduce consumption – pollster

She may be popular worldwide, but Swedish eco-activist Greta Thunberg’s ideas are yet to fully resonate in Russia. According to a new survey, just 12% of Russians believe everyone should reduce consumption to fight global warming.

Despite a lack of willingness to reduce what they personally use, over two-fifths (43%) of Russians think that the fight against climate change still needs to be waged “from the top down,” wanting the government to ensure there is control over the use of natural resources.

The survey also revealed that a quarter (25%) of respondents began to think more about the environment due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but there was no increase in the number of Russians showing a willingness to abandon flying or driving. However, 43% of those surveyed indicated a desire to save water, and 59% are happy to save electricity.

Although many Russians do not appear to be willing to significantly change their lives to deal with global warming, only nine percent of respondents suggested that the phenomenon is not real, with an extra fifth (19%) rejecting the idea that humans can influence the planet's temperature.

According to WCIOM, the state-owned pollster who conducted the survey, 12% of Russians who believe that everyone should significantly reduce the consumption of various resources can be called the “supporters of Greta Thunberg.” Thunberg has been the poster child for eco-activism since 2018, when she began organizing climate strikes outside the Swedish Parliament building. Over time, the teenager has garnered support from thousands of people worldwide, bursting onto the world stage in September 2019 when she gave a speech at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, accusing world leaders of neglecting the planet.

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