Is a North-South divide emerging over climate change?
As delegates from 193 nations are meeting in Mexico for the Cancun climate summit, the issue of climate change seems to be suffering from a complete lack of momentum. A recent survey by GlobeScan, an international research consultancy, shows a sharp fall in the level of public concern worldwide about the issue. The 26-country poll asked more than 13,000 people to rate the seriousness of a range of environmental problems including climate change. Results revealed that the proportion of those who rated climate change as a “very serious” problem fell from 61 per cent last year to 53 per cent this year, after many years of increasing concern. Other findings from the poll show that the proportion of people across tracking countries who believe that “the dangers of climate change are exaggerated,” has increased from 42 per cent in 2008 to 48 per cent this year. North-South divide Chris Coulter, the senior vice-president of GlobeScan, says the world is witnessing a North-South divide over cli
