Climate concern rises in Asia

The Carbon Trust: A new study from the Carbon Trust reveals a divide between Generation Y's attitude to carbon reduction in the East and West. The study, which questioned over 2,500 young people aged 18-25, across five continents in Brazil, China, South Africa, South Korea, UK and the USA, sought to understand whether tomorrow's consumers are concerned about climate change and will favour brands that reduce their carbon emissions.

The research, which was commissioned by the Carbon Trust and conducted by TNS, reveals that Generation Y in China is leading the call for brands to reduce their impact on the environment. 83% of young people questioned in China say they would be more loyal to a brand if they could see it was reducing its carbon footprint, compared to 73% in Korea, 55% in the UK and 57% in the USA. 60% of Chinese young adults who participated in the research say they would stop buying a product if its manufacturer refused to commit to measuring and reducing its carbon footprint, followed by 57% in Brazil, 53% in Korea and 35% and 36% in the US and UK respectively.

Tom Delay, Chief Executive of the Carbon Trust, comments, "These new findings are startling. 60% of young adults questioned in China would stop buying a product if its manufacturer refused to commit to measuring and reducing its carbon footprint, compared to just 35% of those in the U.S. Perhaps it is the Chinese, and not the U.S. consumer, that really holds the key to unlocking the mass demand for the new low carbon products necessary to deliver an environmentally sustainable economy. If global brands don't build international carbon reduction strategies even faster, they risk missing out on the spending power of emerging economies."...

Image from the Carbon Trust's website