Three quarters of Turkey’s society has climate change awareness, shows survey

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Jointly conducted by the Yuvam Dünya (My Home World) Association and KONDA Research and Consultancy firm, the results of the "Climate Change Perception in Turkey Survey" have been published.

The survey was conducted with the participation of 3,022 people aged 15 and over in April 2021. Asking 10 questions to the respondents from 372 districts in 74 cities across Turkey by phone, the organizations set out to find out people's awareness, vulnerability and responsibility when it comes to climate change and its effects on weather events and nature.

The survey results have shown that three fourths of the respondents have awareness about climate change and its effects.

Ağırdır: People are willing for change

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), Yuvam Dünya Association Executive Board Chair Kıvılcım Pınar Kocabıyık has commented on the survey results briefly as follows:

"We want to underpin the discussions on climate crisis with their concrete grounds and convey this highly complicated matter to the society with arts, sports and by different means of communication."

KONDA Research and Consultancy General Manager Bekir Ağırdır has also said that society does not have any problems with comprehending or having an awareness of climate change. He has added:

There are three basic issues. First of all, the people of this geography are aware of what the problem is. Secondly, they find themselves vulnerable and weak in the face of the problem. And thirdly, they are eager and willing to change behavior when a mobilization is initiated or a policy is developed under the leadership of the state.

Prof. Kurnaz: Farmers are aware of the problem

Boğaziçi University Center for Climate Change and Policy Studies' Director Prof. Levent Kurnaz has also underlined that if the state or other institutions take action, people are eager to work in support of it.

Stressing that climate change is not a problem that can be easily perceived, Kurnaz has briefly added the following:

I think it was 5-6 years ago when I attended a meeting at the Ministry of Agriculture. Farmers are aware of climate change. You may not be aware of this when you sit in the Ministry or you may be realizing it only recently, but as farmers are occupied with the soil everyday, they are aware of the whole problem.

"What may be different here is where the problem is attributed. When farmers are considered, they may say, 'They have built that dam and the climate has changed since then.' Because rather than cause and effect, people take the timing into consideration." (TP/SD)