Bruneians are most concerned about heatwaves (68.9 per cent), floods (67 per cent), and droughts (52.4 per cent), according to the Southeast Asia Climate Outlook Survey 2024 by ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.
The survey, conducted online from July 10 to August 17, gathered 2,931 responses from across ASEAN, with findings released on September 17.
Despite these concerns, only 22.7 per cent of Brunei respondents expressed strong concern about climate change, though 55.3 per cent agreed it is an issue worth monitoring. Regionally, 52.6 per cent believe climate change will negatively affect their health, with the Philippines (71.5 per cent), Vietnam (61.4 per cent) and Thailand (55.8 per cent) showing the most concern. In Brunei, only 28.2 per cent believe their health will be impacted. On lifestyle changes made for climate action, 71.4 per cent of respondents reduced single-use plastics, though this is down from 83.5 per cent in 2023. Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand lead in reducing plastic use. Brunei, however, had the highest percentage (11.7 per cent) of respondents reporting no lifestyle changes.
Looking ahead, 59.8 per cent of Southeast Asians expect extreme weather and climate impacts to affect them personally by 2034, up from 55.7 per cent in 2023. In Brunei, 13.6 per cent believe they won’t experience any impacts in the next decade, the highest proportion in the region.
Meanwhile, the survey also found out that the proportion of those who see climate change as a serious and immediate threat dropped to 42.5 per cent in 2024. This was down from 49.4 per cent in 2023, 45.8 per cent in 2022 and 72.2 per cent in 2021. The majority of Southeast Asians either view climate change as an important issue that deserves monitoring or as a serious and immediate threat to their countries’ well-being with the Philippines showing the greatest concern (55.3 per cent). Vietnam respondents (46.9 per cent) also expressed higher levels of concern compared to the regional average of 42.5 per cent.
Floods (70.3 per cent), heat waves (51.8 per cent) and landslides triggered by heavy rain (49.8 per cent) are the top three most serious climate change impacts in the lived climate experiences of Southeast Asians.
Landslides triggered by heavy rain were among the top three concerns last year. Given the unique and diverse geographies of the tropics, it is not surprising that there are variations among regional respondents’ experiences with extreme weather events. In the Philippines, tropical storms (72.6 per cent) and floods (72.1 per cent) are top concerns due to the country’s vulnerability to typhoons, while Singapore is more worried about heat waves (82.1 per cent) and rising sea levels (71.6 per cent) because of its low-lying position. Thailand’s concerns focus on drought (72.5 per cent) and heat waves (70.3 per cent), as the region experienced an unusually long El Niño season.
Those with higher education levels are more likely to view climate change as an immediate threat. Mainstream news remains the leading source of climate information (36 per cent), followed by social media and online influencers (28.7 per cent). Messaging apps including WhatsApp and Telegram have overtaken personal conversations as a key information source.
June 2024 marked the 12th straight month with global temperatures 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. In Southeast Asia, extreme weather like droughts, floods and typhoons are clear signs of climate change’s impact.
Nearly 60 per cent of respondents believe their lives will be severely affected in the next 10 years, and over half think climate change will harm their health. Food insecurity is also rising, with 70 per cent reporting it, up from 60 per cent in 2023.
Support for a national carbon tax is high, with over 90 per cent willing to shoulder the cost. Vietnam (75 per cent) and Indonesia (73.5 per cent) showed the greatest support. Japan was most recognised as a global leader in climate action (22.4 per cent), overtaking the European Union and the United States.
This is the fifth annual edition of the survey and the institute will continue to monitor the views of Southeast Asians as climate change issues develop in the coming years. – Azlan Othman
