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Public overwhelmingly expects more extreme flooding events, more often, poll shows

Public overwhelmingly expects more extreme flooding events, more often, poll shows

An overwhelming number of New Zealanders (91%) are expecting more extreme flooding events to happen more frequently as the world grapples with the growing list of repercussions resulting from climate change.

Around half of respondents (48%) to the latest IAG-Ipsos Climate Change poll released on Monday felt the Government had the greatest responsibility to act against climate change, up from 25% five years ago, but the national response was either not appropriate or hadn’t been fast enough.

Climate Change Minister James Shaw said the results underscored the urgent need for a comprehensive response to the phenomenon, with just 34% of Kiwis deeming Government’s action on the issue as adequate.

Increasing numbers of New Zealanders expect to see more extreme flooding events on a more frequent basis, the IAG poll results show.

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Increasing numbers of New Zealanders expect to see more extreme flooding events on a more frequent basis, the IAG poll results show.

“We need to provide communities with the tools they need to play for the future and for the climate impacts we know we cannot avoid. Some climate impacts are already being experienced by communities all over the country,” Shaw said.

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There was also a clear expectation that both central and local governments were expected to do more to protect people by investing more in things like flood protection measures and building infrastructure.

Around half of New Zealanders feel the Government has the greatest responsibility to act against climate change, a new poll shows. (File photo)

ROBERT KITCHIN/Stuff

Around half of New Zealanders feel the Government has the greatest responsibility to act against climate change, a new poll shows. (File photo)

Over the past four years, the poll results have shown a 10% growth in those wanting local councils to zone land to reduce and avoid climate change’s impact (now 74%) and consent developments that achieved the same objective (69%), Amanda Whiting, chief executive for insurance companies, NZI, State and AMI said.

“A growing number of people – up to 53% this year – acknowledge that those living in badly affected areas may be required to move, but there are mixed views on who should pay, with the results indicating shared responsibility between [the] Government, local councils, and homeowners,” Whiting said.

Considering the recent spate of fires, flooding and heatwave events globally, Victoria University of Wellington climate scientist Professor James Renwick wasn’t surprised to see a large increase in the numbers of New Zealanders recognising the impact of climate change.

“But beyond the concern, there’s a lot of confusion, and a need for education and clear messages about actions we can all take,” Renwick said.

However, fewer New Zealanders were taking individual action to combat climate change’s effects, despite 78 per cent of people agreeing that it was an important issue for them personally.

In the past year, the number of people prepared to act to reduce the impacts of climate change on themselves personally reduced from 69% to 64%, mirroring a steady decline seen in those already taking steps to reduce climate impacts – dropping 9% over the past two years to 50%.

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After Two Years of COVID-19, Americans’ Anxiety Turns to Global Events, Says APA Annual Mental Health Poll

Children’s Mental Health Also a Top Concern

NEW ORLEANS, May 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — According to the annual Healthy Minds Poll from the American Psychiatric Association, adults’ anxiety about COVID-19 is at its recorded lowest, with 50% indicating they’re anxious about it, down from 65% in 2021 and 75% in 2020. Instead, adults say they are somewhat or extremely anxious about current events happening around the world (73%), keeping themselves or their families safe (64%), or their health generally (60%).   

Overall, about a third of Americans (32%) said they were more anxious than last year, 46% said their level of anxiety was about the same, and 18% were less anxious. One-quarter (26%) indicated they had talked with a mental health care professional in the past few years, down from 34% in 2021. Hispanic (36%) and Black (35%) adults were more likely to have done so than white (25%) adults.  

The poll, conducted by Morning Consult between April 23 and 24, 2022, was among a sample of 2,210 adults. The interviews were conducted online, and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on gender, age, race, educational attainment, and region. Results from the full study have a margin of error of +/-2 percentage points.  

“It’s not surprising that recent events, such as the war in Ukraine, racially motivated mass shootings or the impacts of climate change, are weighing heavily on Americans’ minds,” said APA President Vivian Pender, M.D. “COVID-19 in a way has taken a back-seat, but the pandemic and its mental health effects are very much still with us. It’s important that we are cognizant of that and continue to work to ensure people who need psychiatric care, whether the causes are tied to the pandemic or to other issues, can access it.”  

Despite the backdrop of the Surgeon General’s recent advisory, Americans were less concerned about their children’s mental health than last year, with 41% of parents saying their children’s mental state concerned them this year compared to 53% saying so in 2021.  

Meanwhile, 40% of parents reported their children had received help from a mental health professional since the pandemic began. Of that group, 36% reported that they had sought help before the pandemic, and 50% indicated the pandemic had caused problems for their children’s mental health. A third of the group indicated they had encountered difficulties scheduling mental health care appointments for their children.  

“While the overall level of concern has dropped, still four in 10 parents are worried about how their children are doing, and a third are having issues with access to care,” said APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A. “This is unacceptable and as a nation, we need to invest in the kind of systems that will ensure any parent who’s worried about their child has access to lifesaving treatment.”  

See other Healthy Minds Poll results on workplace mental health and government support. 

For a copy of the poll results, contact [email protected]. 

American Psychiatric Association
The American Psychiatric Association, founded in 1844, is the oldest medical association in the country. The APA is also the largest psychiatric association in the world with more than 37,000 physician members specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and research of mental illnesses. APA’s vision is to ensure access to quality psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. For more information, please visit www.psychiatry.org.

SOURCE American Psychiatric Association