Media Release
16 December
PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN – DECISIVE ACTION A MUST
New global polling reveals citizens around the world want world leaders to take decisive action and
combat global warming, the Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore MP said today.
Ms Moore said definitive global polling shows 94 per cent of Australians and 91 per cent of world
participants believe effective targets are a high priority.
Speaking in Copenhagen on the eve of the final day of debate at the United Nations Climate Change
Conference, Ms Moore, the Chair of the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors, officially released the
results of the world-first poll known as the World Wide Views on Global Warming.
“The figures are in and communities around the world want leaders to vote in favour of binding,
decisive targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Ms Moore said.
“The outcome of COP 15 is vital for the survival of the planet. The world is at a critical turning point
where failure to take bold action could result in runaway climate change. It is not surprising that
citizens from across the globe want COP 15 to achieve an agreement for binding targets that will
save the planet.
“Results from the World Wide Views on Global Warming consultation process are a call to action.”
The poll was initiated by Danish Government agencies and involved randomly selected citizens from
38 countries, including China, Indonesia, India, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Brazil, Italy, Sweden, the
United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.
The project was endorsed by Federal Climate Change Minister Penny Wong, non-government and
government organisations and businesses, including WWF Australia and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
The Australian component of the consultation process was conducted nationally in September by
the University of Technology Sydney’s Institute for Sustainable Futures.
In each country participants were provided with information on global warming and then in small
groups required to debate and vote on set questions about international action to combat climate
change.
The format was the same in each country. It is the first time a community consultation exercise of
this sort has been conducted on a global scale.
“The poll revealed that 92 per cent of Australians said it was urgent a deal is made, while the world
average vote was 91 per cent,” Ms Moore said. “In the event that a climate change deal is achieved,
94 per cent of Australians voted for the government to give high priority to commit to the policy and
the worldwide figure was 91 per cent.”
Ms Moore said majority views, both for Australia and world-wide, were registered for:
Very concerned about climate change (75% Aust/62% World average)
Limiting the temperature increase to current levels (36%/34%)
Countries that do not meet commitments should be punished significantly (33%/35%)
The short-term reduction target should be 25 to 40 per cent (58%/58%)
Fossil fuel prices should be increased (39%/43%)
A global financial system should be introduced to generate funds for abatement (85%/87%)
All countries should be committed to pay for a new deal (except least developed countries
(63%/55%)
“World leaders need to take notice of these figures revealing that 94 per cent of Australian and 91
per cent of world participants identified the need to agree to effective emission reduction targets as
a high priority,” Ms Moore added.
“Climate change is frightening and far outweighs unfounded threats from industry and sceptics
about job losses in the fossil fuel industry. Our future is at stake.
“As leaders we should accept the results from the World Wide Views on Global Warming
consultation process as a call to action and a reminder that if we take bold steps, the community will
support us.
“Australia’s capital cities have agreed to work with national and state governments and other key
stakeholders to bring down urban emissions through a suite of initiatives , some of which cities are
already undertaking.”
Media contact: Graham Cassidy, Cato Counsel, 0419 202317, or Deborah Wilkinson, CCCLM,
62 85 1672
The CCCLM comprises:
o
Rt Hon Lord Mayor of Adelaide, Michael Harbison
o
Rt Hon Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Cr Campbell Newman
o
Mr Jon Stanhope, MLA, ACT Chief Minister and Minister for Territory and Municipal
Services
o
Rt Hon Graeme Sawyer, Lord Mayor of Darwin
o
Rt Hon Lord Mayor of Hobart, Alderman Rob Valentine
o
Rt Hon Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Robert Doyle
o
Rt Hon Lord Mayor of Perth, Lisa Scaffidi
o
Rt Hon Clover Moore MP, Lord Mayor of Sydney
NEWS 
