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Report by
Lynne Jones MP - Summary of Responses of Survey on Climate Change in Moseley – June
2008
SUSMO As a resident of SURVEY
ON CLIMATE CHANGE The survey (appendix 1) was
distributed to all electors in B13 within the current Selly Oak constituency boundary. This document is a summary of responses. Respondents were divided into three categories
dependent upon their wish to register as a supporter of SusMo and whether their responses
to survey questions 6, 7 & 8 indicated they were concerned about climate change. In total, I received 222 completed
surveys. 59% of respondents said they wished to register as a supporter of SusMo. Of those who did not wish to register as a
supporter, 79% indicated that they were concerned about the threat from climate change.
CARBON
FOOTPRINT PLEDGE 59% of respondents said they would sign the pledge at www.cred-uk.org/susmo to reduce their carbon footprint.
LIFESTYLE CHANGES 89% of respondents have made changes
to their lifestyles as a result of the threat from climate change.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE Answers that fell under the general
heading of ‘changing transport habits’ were given most frequently. 53% of all respondents said that they had changed
their transport habits to help tackle climate change. For
example, people said that they had begun cycling to work or were increasing their use of
public transport. However, the single most frequent response people gave was
‘recycling’. 65 people, or 29% of
all respondents, said that they were recycling their household waste in an effort to
combat climate change. For further details please see
Appendix 2a and 2b. OUR CARBON “FOOTPRINT” I asked people how important they felt
it was to a) reduce Moseley’s carbon emissions and b) meet national and international
climate change targets. Respondents were asked
to score these questions on a scale of 1 to 10 (in which 10 is most important). Moseley 80% of respondents felt that reducing
Moseley’s carbon emissions is important or very important and only 8% think that it
is unimportant or very unimportant. National
& International 89% of respondents felt that meeting
national and international climate change targets is important or very important and only
5% think it is unimportant or very unimportant. It is interesting that 21% more people
feel it is very important to meet national and international targets than feel it is very
important to reduce carbon emissions on a local level but, of course, what happens in
Moseley will have an impact on the national picture.
For further details see appendix 3a
& 3b PEOPLE’S
ATTITUDES TO CLIMATE CHANGE 1)
Individual responsibility I asked people to give a score from 1
to 10 depending on how strongly they agreed or disagreed with the statement: I would do more to try to stop climate change if other
people did too. 49% of respondents strongly agree or agree and
26% of respondents strongly disagree or disagree with the statement above. For further details please see appendix 4. It is pleasing that such a significant number of
people were committed to action to combat climate change irrespective of other
people’s actions, though perhaps inevitable that people felt that their actions would
have a greater impact if others joined in too, which would encourage them to redouble
their efforts. 2)
Government responsibilities I then asked people to give a score
from 1 to 10 depending on how strongly they agreed or disagreed with the statement: The Government should take a lead in combating climate
change, even if it means using the law/tax system to change people’s behaviour. A much higher proportion, 57% of
respondents, strongly agree and only 7% of
respondents strongly disagree with the statement
above. For further details please see appendix
4c. On average respondents gave a score of
8.1, which corresponds with the opinion, agree
(see appendix 4d). This result is backed up by appendix 4c, which shows that in total 81%
of respondents agree or strongly agree that the Government should take a lead in the fight
against climate change. TRANSPORT
1)
Aviation Aviation
should be made more expensive •
59% of respondents agree or strongly agree with this statement. •
20% of respondents disagree or strongly disagree. •
21% of respondents neither agree nor disagree. See appendix 5a I
would be willing to pay more for aviation if the money raised was used to provide fast
train links •
67% of respondents agree or strongly agree with this statement. •
19% of respondents disagree or strongly disagree. •
14% of respondents neither agree nor disagree. See appendix 5b 2)
Motoring Motoring
should be made more expensive •
51% of respondents agree or strongly agree with this statement. •
28% of respondents disagree or strongly disagree. •
21% of respondents neither agree nor disagree. See appendix 5c I
would be willing to pay more for motoring if the money raised was used to improve public
transport •
69% of respondents agree or strongly agree with this statement. •
18% of respondents disagree or strongly disagree. •
13% of respondents neither agree nor disagree. See appendix 5d
Average
scores On average people agree with the statement, Aviation should be made more expensive, and agree (slightly more strongly) with the statement,
I would be willing to pay more for aviation if the
money raised was used to provide fast train links. On average people neither agree nor disagree with the statement, Motoring should be made more expensive, and agree with the statement, I would be willing to pay more for motoring if the money raised was used to improve public transport.
For further details please see
appendix 5e
The results
from the survey were obtained before the more recent sharp increases in the global cost of
oil, which has seen a 20% reduction in road fuel sales. People
are now paying much more to use their cars and
there is greater incentive to opt for more fuel-efficient vehicles. The Government should
impose a windfall tax on the energy companies’ inflated profits and spend the extra
revenue it has got from taxation on our transport infrastructure
Action people would like The action that most people would like
to see Birmingham City Council takie to help tackle climate change is to improve public
transport. 36% of respondents gave this as
their top answer. 18% of respondents said that the most important action would be to improve recycling services, or improve access to recycling services.
*Based on
the total number of completed questionnaires received (222), rather than the total number
of answers given as respondents often gave more than one suggestion. For further details please see
appendix 6. Although Birmingham City Council is
not directly responsible for public transport they do (though the Cabinet Member for
Transportation, representation on Centro, the Passenger Transport Executive and on
Regional bodies) exercise considerable influence on transport policy.
Appendices SURVEY Appendix
1 Survey on Climate
Change Please circle your Yes/No answers: 1. Did you receive
the Sustainable Moseley calendar? Yes/No 2. If yes, did you
find it useful? Yes/No 3. If the calendar
is produced for 2009 is there any other information you would like to see included? 4. Would you like
to register as a supporter of SusMo (to be kept informed of meetings and
activities)? Yes/No 5. Will you sign
the pledge to reduce your carbon footprint at: 6. Have you made
any changes in your own lifestyle as a result of the threat from climate change? Yes/No 7. What is the
number one thing you are doing to help tackle climate change? 8. On a scale of 1 to 10 (in which 10 is most important), how important is: 9. On a scale of 1 to 10 (in which 1 is strongly disagree and 10 is strongly
agree) how strongly do you agree or disagree that: (a) I would do
more to try to stop climate change if other people did too. £ (b) The Government
should take a lead in combating climate change, even if it means using the law/tax system
to change people’s behaviour. £ (c) Aviation
should be made more expensive. £ (d) Motoring
should be made more expensive. £ (e) I would be
willing to pay more for aviation if the money raised was used to provide fast train links.
£ (f) I would be
willing to pay more for motoring if money raised was used to improve public transport. £ 10. What is the
number one thing you would like Birmingham City Council to do to help tackle climate
change?
WHAT
PEOPLE ARE DOING TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE Appendix
2a
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