Should it be a criminal offense for the heads or large businesses or government to approve or allow actions which result in serious damage to nature and climate? Seventy-two percent of respondents across eighteen G20 countries, when asked this question, said they believed it should be a criminal offense. The G20 is an international forum of 19 countries, the European Union, and the African Union, focused on global economic cooperation, financial stability, and policy coordination.
Global Commons Survey 2024
This finding comes from the most recent Global Commons Survey 2024, carried out by Ipsos UK and commissioned by Earth4All in partnership with the Global Commons Alliance (GCA).
The study follows recent groundbreaking legislative changes. In Belgium, for example, new legislation introduced this year makes *ecocide a federal crime. Chile and France have enacted similar laws, while Scotland, Peru, the Netherlands, Mexico, Italy, and Brazil, among others, have proposed ecocide bills.
* Ecocide refers to the widespread destruction of the environment, including ecosystems and biodiversity, often caused by human activities, to the extent that the harm is considered severe and lasting.
People Concerned About Our Planet
The survey, conducted across 18 G20 nations, excluding Russia, highlights the growing unease among citizens of the world’s leading economies regarding the planet’s current and future condition.
Of those surveyed, 59% expressed significant or extreme concern about the state of the environment, marking a slight rise compared to the 2021 Global Commons Survey.
Additionally, 69% of respondents believe that Earth is approaching critical tipping points for climate and nature, largely due to human activity.
The researchers categorized the survey respondents from the 18 G20 countries into five Planetary Stewardship Segments.
- Planetary Stewards
- Concerned Optimists
- Steady Progressives
- Unengaged
- Climate Sceptics
The Planetary Stewards, Steady Progressives, and Concerned Optimists, who represented 61% of people in the survey, advocated for strong action to protect the environment.
We have reached a social tipping point, with the majority now calling for environmental protection over inaction.
The survey participants came from the following G20 countries: United States, United Kingdom, Turkey, South Korea, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Japan, Italy, Indonesia, India, Germany, France, China, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Argentina, plus four countries outside the G20: Sweden, Kenya, Denmark, and Austria.
The Findings Surprised the Researchers
Co-lead of the Earth4All initiative, Owen Gaffney, said:
“The majority support (72%) for criminalizing actions which allow serious damage to the climate surprised us. The majority of people want to protect the global commons; 71% believe the world needs to take action immediately.”
“Our survey demonstrates that people across the world’s largest economies are acutely aware of the urgent need to safeguard our planet for future generations.”
Executive Director of GCA, Jane Madgwick, added:
“People everywhere are very worried about the state of our planet and they’re feeling the pain already. Awareness that we are close to tipping points is high, as is concern that political priorities lie elsewhere.”
“It all comes down to what we can do collectively to safeguard and restore the global commons which sustain all life on Earth and protect us from the most severe impacts of climate change. This is going to take bold leadership and a truly global effort, connecting actions across nations and from the ground up.”
Major Policy Shifts at All Geographic Levels
Co-founder and CEO of Stop Ecocide International, Jojo Mehta, said:
“We’re seeing significant policy shifts in favor of ecocide legislation at the domestic, regional, and international levels. Most notably, at the start of this year, the European Union included ‘qualified offences’ in its newly revised Environmental Crime Directive that can encompass ‘conduct comparable to ecocide.’”
“This means EU member states now have two years to bring these rules into national law – a huge moment felt across the globe.”
“We know this policy-level progress has been significantly driven by widespread civil society demand. The new Global Commons Survey makes it obvious that there is already a strong foundation of public support for this law.”
“People clearly understand that the most severe forms of environmental destruction harm all of us, and that there is real deterrent potential in creating personal criminal liability for top decision-makers. Damage prevention is always the best policy, which is precisely what ecocide law is about.”
Differences in Environmental Concern Between Genders
Women generally showed greater concern regarding the current and future state of the environment compared to men. According to the survey:
- 62% of women and 56% of men reported being very or extremely concerned about the condition of nature today.
- 74% of women and 68% of men believe that we should initiate urgent action to address environmental challenges within the next ten years.
- 25% of women and while 33% of men say that many claims about environmental risks are exaggerated.
- 35% of women and 44% of men believe technology can solve our environmental problems without any of us having to make major lifestyle changes.
Regional Differences in Environmental Concern
Citizens in the emerging economies such as Turkey (69%), Kenya (73%), Indonesia (79%), China (79%), and India (87%) believe they are more personally exposed to climate change than their counterparts in the US and Europe.
Those who feel they are at greater risk from environmental and climate-related challenges tend to express the strongest concerns and sense of urgency for climate action. They are more inclined to link their own well-being with the health of the planet and recognize the benefits of tackling environmental problems.