CGTN Poll: Over 80% urge developed countries to take responsibility for extreme weather

Continued high temperatures in India, severe drought in Spain, flooding in Germany, and strong convective weather in many parts of China. Extreme weather is sweeping across the world. According to a global online survey conducted by CGTN, nearly 86.28 percent of the respondents call on developed countries to bear more responsibility and actively respond to global climate change.

The Global Risks Report 2024 from the World Economic Forum states that extreme weather would be one of the greatest risks facing the world. Over 73 percent of the global respondents in the survey said they have experienced extreme weather, and 80.13 percent of them worry that extreme weather will become more frequent. 

Over 81 percent of respondents say extreme weather has adversely affected sectors such as agriculture, trade and tourism, causing heavy casualties and economic losses in various places. "It (the climate) is out of control on some parts of the world," one netizen said.

Some experts say global climate change is the root cause of extreme weather. In the survey, 74.48 percent of the respondents agree that the frequent occurrence of extreme weather reflects the rapid deterioration of the global climate. Meanwhile, 67.13 percent believe that climate change has arisen in the course of human development and can only be solved through sustainable development. 

Over 85 percent of the respondents believe that no country can be aloof toward the challenge of climate change and that all countries should work together to address the issue, and 82.69 percent of them point out that tackling climate change is not only an inherent requirement of economic development but also an obligation of major countries.

This poll, published by CGTN in English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian, received responses from 13,112 people within 24 hours.