Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact ...
Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport Table of contents 1. Introduction 2. General concerns about the environment and climate change 3. Perceptions of the role of transport in climate change 4. Support for Policies 5. Views on reducing car emissions 6. Views on reducing emissions from air travel 7. Potential for concerns about the environment to influence travel behaviour
1. Introduction This article summarises people’s attitudes to the environment and climate change in relation to transport. Questions were included in the Office for National Statistics’ Omnibus Survey (see Box 1) in May 2005 on behalf of the Department for Transport. The questions were designed to explore the following issues: levels of public concern about the environment and climate change; public understanding of the contribution of transport to climate change; levels of support for a range of policy options to reduce transport emissions and the respective responsibilities of individuals and government; the extent to which public concern about climate change has the potential to influence travel behaviour. The results presented relate to Great Britain unless otherwise stated. Where sample sizes are sufficient differences by factors such as sex, age, region, socio-economic status and frequency of car use have been examined. The report only focuses on statistically significant differences (significant at the 5% level). More detailed tables are available in Annex A - Tables A.1 to A.7. Box 1 Survey design details
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
The ONS Omnibus Survey is a random probability survey of adults aged 16 and over living in private households in England, Wales and Scotland. The May 2005 Omnibus Survey covered 1,252 adults. The response rate was 68%. The majority of interviews were conducted face-to-face in respondents’ homes, though for a small number of cases where this was not possible telephone interviews were carried out instead. The results presented here are based only on the 1,217 face-to-face interviews conducted. The transport questions were not asked on telephone interviews because of the extensive use of ’show cards’ listing response options. The questions asked can be found at Annex B.
Key Findings Around three-quarters of respondents said they were very or fairly concerned about environmental issues in general and climate change specifically. Levels of concern were similar among those who used cars and those who did not. Young people aged from 16 to 25 were less concerned than older people. Respondents were most likely to believe that cars and vans/lorries were the forms of transport that contributed most to overall climate change in the country. The majority of respondents said they supported spending more to improve rail services or bus services (both 69%) to help reduce emissions from cars and planes. Support for the pricing measures which could help reduce emissions was considerably lower. A quarter (26%) supported charging motorists to enter towns and cities, while just over one in ten supported increasing tax on petrol (12%) or the cost of flying (15%). Support for pricing measures was higher among managerial and professional occupations and those who were very concerned about climate change. However, even among these groups only a minority supported the measures. For example, 34% of respondents in managerial/professional occupations supported urban charging as did 40% of respondents who were very concerned about climate change. Respondents were reasonably evenly split in their view as to whether ’people should be allowed to use their cars as much as they like, even if it causes damage to the environment’. 30% agreed with this statement, 41% disagreed and the remainder were neutral. The majority of respondents agreed that the government ’should do more to persuade people to buy more fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly cars’ (88%) and ’should do more to stop people driving more polluting cars’ (63%). Moreover, 71% of respondents in car owning households said they would be prepared to pay a little or a lot more for an environmentally friendly car than for an otherwise identical model. Overall, 59% of regular car users said they might reduce their car use to some extent due to concerns about climate change (38% a little, 18% a lot and 2% completely). This was higher among regular car users who were very concerned about climate change, with 30% saying they might reduce their car use a lot or totally and a further 39% a little. Regular car users who said that concerns about climate change would make no difference to their car use were most likely to say this was because it would be ’too inconvenient’, ’a car was needed for work’ or ’alternative transport was not available’.
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
2. General concerns about the environment and climate change Respondents were asked how concerned they were about environmental issues in general and then about climate change specifically. Levels of concern were similar for both. 78% of respondents said they were very or fairly concerned about environmental issues; 77% were very or fairly concerned about climate change (Figure 1). Figure 1 How concerned are you about environmental issues in general/climate change
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Base number = 1,204.
There was some difference of opinion across age groups. Most notably those aged from 16 to 25 were less concerned about the environment and climate change than those in older age groups. For example, 13% of 16 to 25 year-olds said they were very concerned about the environment; 17% said they were very concerned about climate change (Figure 2, Table A.1). Those in older age groups were significantly more likely to say they were very concerned. Levels of concern were similar among those who used cars (as drivers or passengers) and those who did not. 75% of non car users said they were very or fairly concerned about the environment; 78% of car users (not a significant difference). Levels of overall concern about climate change were also similar, though non car users were significantly more likely to be ’very concerned’ than car users (Figure 3, Table A.1). The Survey of Public Attitudes to Quality of Life and to the Environment 1 found that 35% of adults aged 18 and over in England were very concerned about the environment. The figure from the Omnibus Survey for adults aged 18 and over in England is somewhat lower at 26%.
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
The Survey of Public Attitudes to Quality of Life and to the Environment also reported that 46% of adults in England were ’very worried’ about climate change, with a further 34% being ’fairly worried’. The Omnibus Survey included a different question and found that 30% of adults aged 18 and over in England were very concerned about climate change and 47% fairly concerned. Figure 2 Concern about environmental issues in general/climate change, by age
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Base numbers: 16-25 =101; 26-44=402; 45-54=180, 55-64=187; 65-74 = 178; 75+ = 156.
Figure 3 Concern about environmental issues in general/climate change, by car use
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Base numbers: Car user = 1,085; Non car user = 119.
3. Perceptions of the role of transport in climate change Respondents were first asked to consider a journey from London to Edinburgh and which ways of making this journey would make the most and least contribution to climate change. They were then asked for their opinion on what forms of transport were major contributors to climate change in general in this country. When asked to consider a specific journey, such as from London to Edinburgh, the majority of respondents (69%) said that travelling by train would contribute the least to climate change. Travelling by plane or by car were the methods most likely to be considered as making the biggest contribution to climate change, each selected by around four in ten (Table 1). Assessing the relative contribution of different modes of transport to climate change for such a journey is extremely complex and depends on the assumptions made regarding passenger loadings and fuel mix and efficiency. 2 Table 1 Views on the mode of travel that would make the least and most contribution to climate change (journey from London to Edinburgh)
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Least contribution to climate change Most contribution to climate change %
%
Train
69
4
Plane
11
44
Coach
7
10
Car
6
38
Don’t know
4
4
Cycle/walk
2
-
Not to travel at all 1
-
Base number
100
100
1,213
1,203
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Categories below the line were spontaneous only.
When asked to consider the overall impact of different forms of transport to climate change in this country, cars and vans/lorries were the most commonly selected forms of transport, with around three-quarters selecting each of these. Planes and buses/coaches were the next most commonly mentioned forms of transport at just under six in ten (Figure 4). So whereas the public consider flying the most harmful form of travel for specific journeys they consider the overall impact of cars and vans to be higher. Public perceptions are reasonably accurate. Estimates of carbon dioxide emissions from various modes of transport in the United Kingdom for 2003 show passenger cars to contribute most (19.8 million tonnes), followed by light duty vehicles/heavy goods vehicles (11.6) and international and domestic aviation (8.7). 3
Younger people (aged from 16 to 44) were more likely to consider cars a major contributor to climate change than older people, while those in professional/managerial or intermediate occupations were more likely to consider this to be the case than those in routine/manual occupations (see Table A.2). Respondents who were very or fairly concerned about climate change had similar views on the role of different transport modes in contributing to climate change. Those who were not very or not at all concerned were less likely to consider most of the modes as major contributors to climate change (Table A.2). The only exception to this was for buses where the groups did not significantly differ. Figure 4 Thinking of the overall impact...which forms of transport are major contributors to climate change in this country?
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Respondents could choose more than one answer. Base number = 1,203. 1
Source publication: Survey of Public Attitudes to Quality of Life and to the Environment. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. 2002. 2
This issue is discussed further, with reference to the London to Edinburgh example, by Professor Roger Kemp in a discussion paper on Transport energy consumption http://www.engineering.lancs.ac.uk/research/research_papers.asp?ID=162. 3
Source: Transport Statistics Great Britain: 2005 Edition (see Table 3.8).
4. Support for Policies Respondents were informed that the UK had signed the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement committing the country to reduce emissions thought to cause climate change, including those from cars and planes. Respondents were then presented with a list of policies that could reduce car/plane emissions and asked which, if any, of these policies they would support. Levels of support were highest for spending to improve trains and buses, with almost seven in ten supporting each of these policies. Pricing measures aimed at reducing car and plane use were far less popular. The pricing measure that received most support was charging motorists to enter more towns and cities - 26% of respondents said they would support this (Figure 5). Figure 5 Which, if any, of the following policies would you support?
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Respondents could choose more than one answer. Base number = 1,204.
There were few significant differences in levels of support for different policies according to car use status. The most notable difference was that car users were more likely to be in favour of improved rail services than non-car users. A similar pattern was apparent for improved bus services, though this was not statistically significant. There were no significant differences between car users and non car users in levels of support for increasing tax on petrol or urban charging schemes (Figure 6, Table A.3) There were also differences of opinion between different socio-economic groups. Those in managerial or professional occupations were more likely to support charging motorists to enter more towns and cities than other occupational groups. Those in routine/manual occupations were significantly less likely to support more spending on rail services than other occupations (Figure 7, Table A.3). This reflects the lower level of use of trains among those in routine/manual occupations (31% had used a train in the last 12 months compared with 49% of those in intermediate occupations and 65% of those in managerial/professional occupations). Figure 6 Support for various policies, by frequency of car use
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Respondents could choose more than one answer. Base numbers: non car users = 119; car use less than every day = 469; car use every day = 616.
Figure 7 Support for various policies, by socio-economic group
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Respondents could choose more than one answer. Base numbers: professional/managerial = 394; intermediate = 232; routine/manual = 507.
Not surprisingly, concern about climate change was related to support for different policies. Those who were very or fairly concerned had similar levels of support for spending on trains and buses, but the very concerned were significantly more likely to support the pricing policies than those who were only fairly concerned. For example, 40% of those very concerned about climate change supported the idea of charging motorists to enter towns and cities, compared with 24% of those who were fairly concerned (Figure 8). Although those most concerned were most likely to support pricing options, even among the very concerned support for increasing tax on petrol and the cost of flying was relatively low at around a quarter. Respondents who were not at all or not very concerned were significantly less supportive of all policies listed, particularly urban charging schemes (Figure 8). Although the base number is small (n=62) it is interesting to note that a fifth (21%) of those who were not at all concerned did not support any of the policy options listed (Table A.3). Figure 8 Support for various policies, by levels of concern about climate change
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Respondents could choose more than one answer. Base numbers: very concerned = 352; fairly concerned = 572; not very concerned = 203; not at all concerned = 62.
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
5. Views on reducing car emissions In addition to examining levels of support for the different policy options discussed above, respondents were also asked a set of questions to assess their views on reducing car use and various measures individuals or the government could take to reduce emissions from cars. Respondents were fairly evenly split in their attitudes towards whether people should be allowed unlimited car use. Three in ten (30%) respondents agreed ’people should be allowed to use their cars as much as they like, even if it causes damage to the environment’. Four in ten (41%) disagreed with this and the remainder were neutral. Those who used a car less than every day and non car users held similar views on this measure, while more frequent car users were less supportive of limitations on car use. Around a half of those who used cars less than everyday (including non users) disagreed with unlimited car use, compared with a third of frequent car users (Table A.4). Not surprisingly, those most concerned about climate change were more likely to favour limitations on car use. Among adults who were very concerned about climate change 57% disagreed with unlimited car use, with only 24% agreeing with the statement. The reverse holds for those not at all concerned about climate change - 13% disagreeing and 59% agreeing with the statement (Table A.4). Figure 9 Percentage agreeing/disagreeing with the statement ’People should be allowed to use their cars as much as they like, even if it causes damage to the environment’, by age
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Base numbers: 16-25 = 101; 26-44=402; 45-54=180; 55-64=186; 65-74=178; 75+ = 155.
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Almost nine in ten (88%) respondents said they strongly agreed or agreed with the government persuading people ’to buy more fuel efficient, environmentally friendly cars’. A lower percentage (63%), though still a majority, supported the idea of the government ’doing more to stop people driving more polluting cars’. The lower level of support for the latter statement may be because it could include ’stick’ measures which the public tend to consider less favourably. Levels of support for the government persuading people to purchase more environmentally friendly cars were consistently high across all socio demographic groups examined (ranging between 84% and 91%). There was more variation across groups in support for the ’government doing more to stop people driving more polluting cars’. Those aged from 55 to 74 or living in London or not using a car were most likely to agree with this statement. (Table A.5). Levels of concern about climate change were strongly associated with support for government involvement in encouraging more environmentally friendly cars (Figure 10). Figure 10 Views on role of government in promoting environmentally friendly cars, by levels of concern about climate change
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Base numbers: Very concerned about climate change = 352; fairly concerned = 570; not very = 203; not at all = 61.
Respondents were also shown a set of two statements (below) and asked to select the one that came closest to their own views.
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Statement A - Individuals should try to limit their car use for the sake of the environment Statement B - There is no point in individuals trying to limit their car use because not enough people will do it to make any difference. When given the choice of these two statements, 57% of respondents selected statement A favouring limitations; 42% chose statement B. So again there was overall net support for limiting car use for the sake of the environment. However, a higher proportion of respondents agreed with statement A (57%) than disagreed with the previous statement ’People should be allowed to use their cars as much as they like, even if it causes damage to the environment’ (41%). This difference may arise because the latter statement could be interpreted as including an element of ’coercion’ to encourage reduced car use, whereas statement A only relates to the individuals choice and responsibility. The difference in response to these two questions was particularly apparent for young people aged from 16 to 25. Among young people, 29% disagreed that ’People should be allowed to use their cars as much as they like, even if it causes damage to the environment’ (far lower than among all other age groups), but 59% selected the statement ’Individuals should try to limit their car use for the sake of the environment’ as being closest to their views (Table A.4). Again, those who were most concerned about climate change were more likely to favour limitations on car use. Seven in ten (68%) of those who were very concerned selected statement A. Agreement with this statement fell with falling levels of concern about climate change (Figure 11). Still even among the most concerned 30% felt ’there is no point in individuals trying to limit their car use because not enough people will do it to make a difference’. (see also Table A.4). Figure 11 Views on individuals limiting their car use, by concern about climate change
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus.
Base numbers: Very concerned about climate change = 352; fairly concerned = 572; not very = 203; not at all = 61.
6. Views on reducing emissions from air travel Respondents were also presented with two statements (below) regarding air travel and asked to select the statement that came closest to their own views. Statement C - Air travel should be limited for the sake of the environment Statement D - Limiting air travel would be too damaging to the economy Almost six in ten (55%) selected statement D ’ Limiting air travel would be too damaging to the economy’, while four in ten (39%) selected statement C. Comparing these results with those from the two statements on car use (reported above) suggests there is less support for limitations on air travel. However differences in the two opposing statements for the car use and air travel questions mean the results are not directly comparable. The views of different socio-demographic groups were on the whole very similar. However, those very concerned about climate change were significantly more likely to support limitations on air travel than those less concerned. A half (48%) of those very concerned about climate change said ’Air travel should be limited for the sake of the environment’. The figure for those fairly concerned was 37%. The views of those not very or not at all concerned did not differ significantly to the fairly concerned group (Table A.6).
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
7. Potential for concerns about the environment to influence travel behaviour Respondents living in households with a car were asked whether they would be prepared to pay more for a car that was more environmentally friendly than for an otherwise identical model if they were to buy a new car. One in ten (10%) said they would be prepared to pay ’a lot more’ and a further 61% ’a little more’. These results suggests that there is scope for encouraging new car buyers to select more environmentally friendly models as long as the costs of doing so are not too much higher. However, questions did not address public perceptions of the availability of different fuel efficient cars on the market and whether such cars are perceived to offer attractive alternatives to standard models. The groups least likely to say they would pay a little or a lot more for more environmentally friendly models were those aged from 16 to 25 and those least concerned about climate change (Table A.7). Respondents who travelled by car more than twice a month were asked if they could be persuaded to reduce their car use due to concerns about climate change. The question differed for regular car drivers who had previously indicated they thought cars to be a major contributor to climate change (n=740) and those who did not believe this to be the case (n=276). The former were asked ’Realistically, do you think that you could be persuaded to reduce your car use due to concerns about the environment?’; the latter ’If scientists proved beyond doubt that emissions from cars are a major cause of climate change, realistically, do you think this would persuade you to reduce your car use?’. Among regular car users who considered that cars contributed to climate change, 41% said might travel by car a bit less due to concerns about climate change, 18% said they might travel by car a lot less and 2% said they might stop using a car. Just over a quarter (27%) said their concern about climate change would make no difference to their car use. Among regular car users who did not consider cars a contributor to climate change the proportion who would not change their car use was significantly higher at 36%. However, even in this group just over half (52%) said they might reduce their car use to some degree if scientists were to prove beyond doubt that cars contributed to climate change (Figure 12). Overall then 59% of regular car uses said they might reduce their car use to some extent due to concerns about climate change (38% a little, 18% a lot and 2% completely). Regular car users who were very concerned about climate change were most likely to say they might change their behaviour, 30% said they might reduce their car use a lot or totally and a further 39% a little. Among those who were not very concerned - only 45% said they might change their behaviour.
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Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport Table of contents 1. Introduction 2. General concerns about the environment and climate change 3. Perceptions of the role of transport in climate change 4. Support for Policies 5. Views on reducing car emissions 6. Views on reducing emissions from air travel 7. Potential for concerns about the environment to influence travel behaviour
1. Introduction This article summarises people’s attitudes to the environment and climate change in relation to transport. Questions were included in the Office for National Statistics’ Omnibus Survey (see Box 1) in May 2005 on behalf of the Department for Transport. The questions were designed to explore the following issues: levels of public concern about the environment and climate change; public understanding of the contribution of transport to climate change; levels of support for a range of policy options to reduce transport emissions and the respective responsibilities of individuals and government; the extent to which public concern about climate change has the potential to influence travel behaviour. The results presented relate to Great Britain unless otherwise stated. Where sample sizes are sufficient differences by factors such as sex, age, region, socio-economic status and frequency of car use have been examined. The report only focuses on statistically significant differences (significant at the 5% level). More detailed tables are available in Annex A - Tables A.1 to A.7. Box 1 Survey design details
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
The ONS Omnibus Survey is a random probability survey of adults aged 16 and over living in private households in England, Wales and Scotland. The May 2005 Omnibus Survey covered 1,252 adults. The response rate was 68%. The majority of interviews were conducted face-to-face in respondents’ homes, though for a small number of cases where this was not possible telephone interviews were carried out instead. The results presented here are based only on the 1,217 face-to-face interviews conducted. The transport questions were not asked on telephone interviews because of the extensive use of ’show cards’ listing response options. The questions asked can be found at Annex B.
Key Findings Around three-quarters of respondents said they were very or fairly concerned about environmental issues in general and climate change specifically. Levels of concern were similar among those who used cars and those who did not. Young people aged from 16 to 25 were less concerned than older people. Respondents were most likely to believe that cars and vans/lorries were the forms of transport that contributed most to overall climate change in the country. The majority of respondents said they supported spending more to improve rail services or bus services (both 69%) to help reduce emissions from cars and planes. Support for the pricing measures which could help reduce emissions was considerably lower. A quarter (26%) supported charging motorists to enter towns and cities, while just over one in ten supported increasing tax on petrol (12%) or the cost of flying (15%). Support for pricing measures was higher among managerial and professional occupations and those who were very concerned about climate change. However, even among these groups only a minority supported the measures. For example, 34% of respondents in managerial/professional occupations supported urban charging as did 40% of respondents who were very concerned about climate change. Respondents were reasonably evenly split in their view as to whether ’people should be allowed to use their cars as much as they like, even if it causes damage to the environment’. 30% agreed with this statement, 41% disagreed and the remainder were neutral. The majority of respondents agreed that the government ’should do more to persuade people to buy more fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly cars’ (88%) and ’should do more to stop people driving more polluting cars’ (63%). Moreover, 71% of respondents in car owning households said they would be prepared to pay a little or a lot more for an environmentally friendly car than for an otherwise identical model. Overall, 59% of regular car users said they might reduce their car use to some extent due to concerns about climate change (38% a little, 18% a lot and 2% completely). This was higher among regular car users who were very concerned about climate change, with 30% saying they might reduce their car use a lot or totally and a further 39% a little. Regular car users who said that concerns about climate change would make no difference to their car use were most likely to say this was because it would be ’too inconvenient’, ’a car was needed for work’ or ’alternative transport was not available’.
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
2. General concerns about the environment and climate change Respondents were asked how concerned they were about environmental issues in general and then about climate change specifically. Levels of concern were similar for both. 78% of respondents said they were very or fairly concerned about environmental issues; 77% were very or fairly concerned about climate change (Figure 1). Figure 1 How concerned are you about environmental issues in general/climate change
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Base number = 1,204.
There was some difference of opinion across age groups. Most notably those aged from 16 to 25 were less concerned about the environment and climate change than those in older age groups. For example, 13% of 16 to 25 year-olds said they were very concerned about the environment; 17% said they were very concerned about climate change (Figure 2, Table A.1). Those in older age groups were significantly more likely to say they were very concerned. Levels of concern were similar among those who used cars (as drivers or passengers) and those who did not. 75% of non car users said they were very or fairly concerned about the environment; 78% of car users (not a significant difference). Levels of overall concern about climate change were also similar, though non car users were significantly more likely to be ’very concerned’ than car users (Figure 3, Table A.1). The Survey of Public Attitudes to Quality of Life and to the Environment 1 found that 35% of adults aged 18 and over in England were very concerned about the environment. The figure from the Omnibus Survey for adults aged 18 and over in England is somewhat lower at 26%.
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
The Survey of Public Attitudes to Quality of Life and to the Environment also reported that 46% of adults in England were ’very worried’ about climate change, with a further 34% being ’fairly worried’. The Omnibus Survey included a different question and found that 30% of adults aged 18 and over in England were very concerned about climate change and 47% fairly concerned. Figure 2 Concern about environmental issues in general/climate change, by age
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Base numbers: 16-25 =101; 26-44=402; 45-54=180, 55-64=187; 65-74 = 178; 75+ = 156.
Figure 3 Concern about environmental issues in general/climate change, by car use
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Base numbers: Car user = 1,085; Non car user = 119.
3. Perceptions of the role of transport in climate change Respondents were first asked to consider a journey from London to Edinburgh and which ways of making this journey would make the most and least contribution to climate change. They were then asked for their opinion on what forms of transport were major contributors to climate change in general in this country. When asked to consider a specific journey, such as from London to Edinburgh, the majority of respondents (69%) said that travelling by train would contribute the least to climate change. Travelling by plane or by car were the methods most likely to be considered as making the biggest contribution to climate change, each selected by around four in ten (Table 1). Assessing the relative contribution of different modes of transport to climate change for such a journey is extremely complex and depends on the assumptions made regarding passenger loadings and fuel mix and efficiency. 2 Table 1 Views on the mode of travel that would make the least and most contribution to climate change (journey from London to Edinburgh)
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Least contribution to climate change Most contribution to climate change %
%
Train
69
4
Plane
11
44
Coach
7
10
Car
6
38
Don’t know
4
4
Cycle/walk
2
-
Not to travel at all 1
-
Base number
100
100
1,213
1,203
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Categories below the line were spontaneous only.
When asked to consider the overall impact of different forms of transport to climate change in this country, cars and vans/lorries were the most commonly selected forms of transport, with around three-quarters selecting each of these. Planes and buses/coaches were the next most commonly mentioned forms of transport at just under six in ten (Figure 4). So whereas the public consider flying the most harmful form of travel for specific journeys they consider the overall impact of cars and vans to be higher. Public perceptions are reasonably accurate. Estimates of carbon dioxide emissions from various modes of transport in the United Kingdom for 2003 show passenger cars to contribute most (19.8 million tonnes), followed by light duty vehicles/heavy goods vehicles (11.6) and international and domestic aviation (8.7). 3
Younger people (aged from 16 to 44) were more likely to consider cars a major contributor to climate change than older people, while those in professional/managerial or intermediate occupations were more likely to consider this to be the case than those in routine/manual occupations (see Table A.2). Respondents who were very or fairly concerned about climate change had similar views on the role of different transport modes in contributing to climate change. Those who were not very or not at all concerned were less likely to consider most of the modes as major contributors to climate change (Table A.2). The only exception to this was for buses where the groups did not significantly differ. Figure 4 Thinking of the overall impact...which forms of transport are major contributors to climate change in this country?
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Respondents could choose more than one answer. Base number = 1,203. 1
Source publication: Survey of Public Attitudes to Quality of Life and to the Environment. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. 2002. 2
This issue is discussed further, with reference to the London to Edinburgh example, by Professor Roger Kemp in a discussion paper on Transport energy consumption http://www.engineering.lancs.ac.uk/research/research_papers.asp?ID=162. 3
Source: Transport Statistics Great Britain: 2005 Edition (see Table 3.8).
4. Support for Policies Respondents were informed that the UK had signed the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement committing the country to reduce emissions thought to cause climate change, including those from cars and planes. Respondents were then presented with a list of policies that could reduce car/plane emissions and asked which, if any, of these policies they would support. Levels of support were highest for spending to improve trains and buses, with almost seven in ten supporting each of these policies. Pricing measures aimed at reducing car and plane use were far less popular. The pricing measure that received most support was charging motorists to enter more towns and cities - 26% of respondents said they would support this (Figure 5). Figure 5 Which, if any, of the following policies would you support?
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Respondents could choose more than one answer. Base number = 1,204.
There were few significant differences in levels of support for different policies according to car use status. The most notable difference was that car users were more likely to be in favour of improved rail services than non-car users. A similar pattern was apparent for improved bus services, though this was not statistically significant. There were no significant differences between car users and non car users in levels of support for increasing tax on petrol or urban charging schemes (Figure 6, Table A.3) There were also differences of opinion between different socio-economic groups. Those in managerial or professional occupations were more likely to support charging motorists to enter more towns and cities than other occupational groups. Those in routine/manual occupations were significantly less likely to support more spending on rail services than other occupations (Figure 7, Table A.3). This reflects the lower level of use of trains among those in routine/manual occupations (31% had used a train in the last 12 months compared with 49% of those in intermediate occupations and 65% of those in managerial/professional occupations). Figure 6 Support for various policies, by frequency of car use
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Respondents could choose more than one answer. Base numbers: non car users = 119; car use less than every day = 469; car use every day = 616.
Figure 7 Support for various policies, by socio-economic group
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Respondents could choose more than one answer. Base numbers: professional/managerial = 394; intermediate = 232; routine/manual = 507.
Not surprisingly, concern about climate change was related to support for different policies. Those who were very or fairly concerned had similar levels of support for spending on trains and buses, but the very concerned were significantly more likely to support the pricing policies than those who were only fairly concerned. For example, 40% of those very concerned about climate change supported the idea of charging motorists to enter towns and cities, compared with 24% of those who were fairly concerned (Figure 8). Although those most concerned were most likely to support pricing options, even among the very concerned support for increasing tax on petrol and the cost of flying was relatively low at around a quarter. Respondents who were not at all or not very concerned were significantly less supportive of all policies listed, particularly urban charging schemes (Figure 8). Although the base number is small (n=62) it is interesting to note that a fifth (21%) of those who were not at all concerned did not support any of the policy options listed (Table A.3). Figure 8 Support for various policies, by levels of concern about climate change
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Respondents could choose more than one answer. Base numbers: very concerned = 352; fairly concerned = 572; not very concerned = 203; not at all concerned = 62.
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
5. Views on reducing car emissions In addition to examining levels of support for the different policy options discussed above, respondents were also asked a set of questions to assess their views on reducing car use and various measures individuals or the government could take to reduce emissions from cars. Respondents were fairly evenly split in their attitudes towards whether people should be allowed unlimited car use. Three in ten (30%) respondents agreed ’people should be allowed to use their cars as much as they like, even if it causes damage to the environment’. Four in ten (41%) disagreed with this and the remainder were neutral. Those who used a car less than every day and non car users held similar views on this measure, while more frequent car users were less supportive of limitations on car use. Around a half of those who used cars less than everyday (including non users) disagreed with unlimited car use, compared with a third of frequent car users (Table A.4). Not surprisingly, those most concerned about climate change were more likely to favour limitations on car use. Among adults who were very concerned about climate change 57% disagreed with unlimited car use, with only 24% agreeing with the statement. The reverse holds for those not at all concerned about climate change - 13% disagreeing and 59% agreeing with the statement (Table A.4). Figure 9 Percentage agreeing/disagreeing with the statement ’People should be allowed to use their cars as much as they like, even if it causes damage to the environment’, by age
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Base numbers: 16-25 = 101; 26-44=402; 45-54=180; 55-64=186; 65-74=178; 75+ = 155.
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Almost nine in ten (88%) respondents said they strongly agreed or agreed with the government persuading people ’to buy more fuel efficient, environmentally friendly cars’. A lower percentage (63%), though still a majority, supported the idea of the government ’doing more to stop people driving more polluting cars’. The lower level of support for the latter statement may be because it could include ’stick’ measures which the public tend to consider less favourably. Levels of support for the government persuading people to purchase more environmentally friendly cars were consistently high across all socio demographic groups examined (ranging between 84% and 91%). There was more variation across groups in support for the ’government doing more to stop people driving more polluting cars’. Those aged from 55 to 74 or living in London or not using a car were most likely to agree with this statement. (Table A.5). Levels of concern about climate change were strongly associated with support for government involvement in encouraging more environmentally friendly cars (Figure 10). Figure 10 Views on role of government in promoting environmentally friendly cars, by levels of concern about climate change
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus. Base numbers: Very concerned about climate change = 352; fairly concerned = 570; not very = 203; not at all = 61.
Respondents were also shown a set of two statements (below) and asked to select the one that came closest to their own views.
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Statement A - Individuals should try to limit their car use for the sake of the environment Statement B - There is no point in individuals trying to limit their car use because not enough people will do it to make any difference. When given the choice of these two statements, 57% of respondents selected statement A favouring limitations; 42% chose statement B. So again there was overall net support for limiting car use for the sake of the environment. However, a higher proportion of respondents agreed with statement A (57%) than disagreed with the previous statement ’People should be allowed to use their cars as much as they like, even if it causes damage to the environment’ (41%). This difference may arise because the latter statement could be interpreted as including an element of ’coercion’ to encourage reduced car use, whereas statement A only relates to the individuals choice and responsibility. The difference in response to these two questions was particularly apparent for young people aged from 16 to 25. Among young people, 29% disagreed that ’People should be allowed to use their cars as much as they like, even if it causes damage to the environment’ (far lower than among all other age groups), but 59% selected the statement ’Individuals should try to limit their car use for the sake of the environment’ as being closest to their views (Table A.4). Again, those who were most concerned about climate change were more likely to favour limitations on car use. Seven in ten (68%) of those who were very concerned selected statement A. Agreement with this statement fell with falling levels of concern about climate change (Figure 11). Still even among the most concerned 30% felt ’there is no point in individuals trying to limit their car use because not enough people will do it to make a difference’. (see also Table A.4). Figure 11 Views on individuals limiting their car use, by concern about climate change
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
Source: May 2005 ONS Omnibus.
Base numbers: Very concerned about climate change = 352; fairly concerned = 572; not very = 203; not at all = 61.
6. Views on reducing emissions from air travel Respondents were also presented with two statements (below) regarding air travel and asked to select the statement that came closest to their own views. Statement C - Air travel should be limited for the sake of the environment Statement D - Limiting air travel would be too damaging to the economy Almost six in ten (55%) selected statement D ’ Limiting air travel would be too damaging to the economy’, while four in ten (39%) selected statement C. Comparing these results with those from the two statements on car use (reported above) suggests there is less support for limitations on air travel. However differences in the two opposing statements for the car use and air travel questions mean the results are not directly comparable. The views of different socio-demographic groups were on the whole very similar. However, those very concerned about climate change were significantly more likely to support limitations on air travel than those less concerned. A half (48%) of those very concerned about climate change said ’Air travel should be limited for the sake of the environment’. The figure for those fairly concerned was 37%. The views of those not very or not at all concerned did not differ significantly to the fairly concerned group (Table A.6).
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Department for Transport - Attitudes to climate change and the impact of transport
7. Potential for concerns about the environment to influence travel behaviour Respondents living in households with a car were asked whether they would be prepared to pay more for a car that was more environmentally friendly than for an otherwise identical model if they were to buy a new car. One in ten (10%) said they would be prepared to pay ’a lot more’ and a further 61% ’a little more’. These results suggests that there is scope for encouraging new car buyers to select more environmentally friendly models as long as the costs of doing so are not too much higher. However, questions did not address public perceptions of the availability of different fuel efficient cars on the market and whether such cars are perceived to offer attractive alternatives to standard models. The groups least likely to say they would pay a little or a lot more for more environmentally friendly models were those aged from 16 to 25 and those least concerned about climate change (Table A.7). Respondents who travelled by car more than twice a month were asked if they could be persuaded to reduce their car use due to concerns about climate change. The question differed for regular car drivers who had previously indicated they thought cars to be a major contributor to climate change (n=740) and those who did not believe this to be the case (n=276). The former were asked ’Realistically, do you think that you could be persuaded to reduce your car use due to concerns about the environment?’; the latter ’If scientists proved beyond doubt that emissions from cars are a major cause of climate change, realistically, do you think this would persuade you to reduce your car use?’. Among regular car users who considered that cars contributed to climate change, 41% said might travel by car a bit less due to concerns about climate change, 18% said they might travel by car a lot less and 2% said they might stop using a car. Just over a quarter (27%) said their concern about climate change would make no difference to their car use. Among regular car users who did not consider cars a contributor to climate change the proportion who would not change their car use was significantly higher at 36%. However, even in this group just over half (52%) said they might reduce their car use to some degree if scientists were to prove beyond doubt that cars contributed to climate change (Figure 12). Overall then 59% of regular car uses said they might reduce their car use to some extent due to concerns about climate change (38% a little, 18% a lot and 2% completely). Regular car users who were very concerned about climate change were most likely to say they might change their behaviour, 30% said they might reduce their car use a lot or totally and a further 39% a little. Among those who were not very concerned - only 45% said they might change their behaviour.
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