Climate change

Even as their country has been buffeted by extreme weather events, Indonesians remain divided on how their government should respond to climate change. The number of people who believe that ‘global warming is a serious and pressing problem’ and that Indonesia ‘should begin taking steps now even if this involves significant costs’ has risen from 31% in 2011 to 36%. But the proportion of respondents who believe that ‘until we are sure that global warming is really a problem, we should not take any steps that would have economic costs’ doubled from 13% in 2011 to 26% in 2021. Meanwhile, the proportion who feel that Indonesia can ‘deal with the problem gradually by taking steps that are low in cost’ fell from 48% in 2011 to 38%.

Global warming
Now about global warming. There is a controversy over what the countries of the world should do about the problem of global warming. I’m going to read you three statements. Please tell me which statement comes closest to your own point of view.
0%20%40%60%80%100% 4831132011 3836262021
  • The problem of global warming should be addressed, but its effects will be gradual, so we can deal with the problem gradually by taking steps that are low in cost
  • Global warming is a serious and pressing problem, we should begin taking steps now even if this involves significant costs
  • Until we are sure that global warming is really a problem, we should not take any steps that would have economic costs

Indonesians are also divided in their assessments of how their own and other countries are responding to climate change. India is perceived as the worst laggard, with 56% saying it is doing too little, followed by China (48%) and Australia (46%). Indonesians view the responses of Japan and the United States in a similar light to that of their own government, with around 39% saying these countries are doing too little.

Effort to combat climate change
For each of these countries, do you think they have done too much, too little, or about the right amount in their effort to combat climate change?
0%20%40%60%80%100% 253739United States 243739Indonesia 223840Japan 193348Australia 183746China 152956India
  • Too much
  • The right amount
  • Too little