HSBC: World more conerned over climate

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(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-17 19:34

JAKARTA - Global concerns on climate change has been rising, surpassing those on economic crisis that still lingers in many parts of the world since late last year, according to a survey carried out by Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) released here on Tuesday.

The survey showed 69 percent of the 12,000 respondents in 12 developed and developing countries pointed out that efforts to handle climate change are more serious than those to reduce the impacts of economic crisis.

Based on the survey, governments taking part in the upcoming UN Framework Climate Change Conference scheduled for December in Copenhagen, Denmark, are expected to prepare comprehensive programs to be approved in the meeting.

The annual survey, titled "HSBC Climate Confidence Monitor 2009," was conducted from July to August this year among others in the United States, Britain, Australia, Canada, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Malaysia and Mexico.

"From the survey index results, we found out that Mexican respondents had the highest attention on climate change issue, meanwhile American respondents had the least attention on such an issue," HSBC Corporate Communications VP Furiyanti told a press conference here.

The survey also said that respondents in developing nations had more desire to launch real actions to tackle climate impacts compared to developed countries.

In Brazil, 86 percent respondents, and in China, 75 percent respondents regarded an agreement to handle climate change from the upcoming Copenhagen conference as very important.

The survey also showed the respondents' increasing intention to live environmental-friendly life, with 36 percent, or 4 percent up from last year's survey.

Respondents in China, India and France were the most active in promoting environmental-friendly lifestyle, according to the survey results.