The Nature Conservancy of Canada commissioned a survey of Canadians, conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs, which found that the vast majority of those asked are worried about climate change and extreme weather and that more needs to be done.
The survey was conducted for the COP15 Biodiversity Conference underway in Montreal.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada’s goal is to acquire and preserve land to maintain wildlife diversity while allowing people to enjoy the wonders of the natural world.
(Photo: Crabbes River, NL via NCC)
NL Director of Programs, Piers Evans says Canadians and Newfoundlanders and Labradorians may think they’re surrounded by wilderness, but there is a lot happening on the landscape that we are often unaware of. He cites the wooded corridor on either side of major highways as an example.
Evans says for the most part forestry and mining activities don’t occur along the viewshed of our major highways or communities. There’s nothing wrong with that says Evans, but it can lead to the misconception that there’s nothing going on out there.
Results of the poll:
- 90% are worried for potential extreme weather
- 88% say individuals, governments, businesses, industry, Indigenous communities have to work together to slow the pace of climate change
- 88% say we need to be acting faster to curb climate change to protect the communities in which we live
- 88% are worried about population decline of many wildlife species.
- 87% of Atlantic Canadians are worried abut the impacts of climate change (highest in the country)
- 87% have noticed more floods and extreme weather in recent years.
- 86% of Atlantic Canadians are worried that future generations won’t have access to nature close to where they live (highest in the country)
- 79% feel nature conservation is an important tool to fight against climate change.
