A recent survey by Global Technology Company Epson has revealed that 72.1% of Kenyans are willing to invest in electric vehicles in an effort to combat climate change.
The survey dubbed the Epson Climate Reality Barometer which gathered insights from over 30,000 respondents in 39 markets worldwide, sheds light on global responses to climate change.
Notably, more people now consider climate change the foremost global issue, and technology is viewed as a pivotal tool in addressing this crisis.
The survey underscores the impact of severe and recurring droughts in Kenya, with the State Department of Livestock reporting the loss of 2.5 million livestock and the suffering of the remaining 10 million in arid regions due to the lack of pasture and water.
Researchers have linked climate change to the severity and frequency of natural disasters like droughts, floods, locust infestations, and the COVID-19 pandemic, estimating the cost of mitigation and compensation for loss and damage to reach approximately $580 billion by 2030.
In this context, it’s not surprising that nearly 70.7% of Kenyan respondents in the Epson Climate Reality Barometer consider climate change the most pressing global issue, a significantly higher percentage than in other surveyed markets. This is followed by concerns about rising prices at 62.1% and poverty at 54.3%.
This emphasis on climate change as the foremost concern is more pronounced among those aged 30 and over, with 74.4% sharing this perspective, as opposed to the COP Generation [those aged 29 and under] at 59.8%.
Despite these concerns, there is a high level of optimism among Kenyans regarding the possibility of averting a climate disaster within their lifetimes, with 75.2% expressing optimism 79% for the COP Generation and 74% for those aged 30 and above]. Globally, optimism stands at a lower 47%.
The level of optimism in Kenya has remained relatively stable over the past year, decreasing only slightly from 76% in the 2022 Barometer to 75.2% in the current year’s survey.
This optimism is reflected in Kenyans’ sentiments about climate change in the next 12 months, with 47.3% feeling “Hopeful” [the most common response], followed by “Optimistic” at 42.5% and “Positive” at 36.3%.
When asked about the most important actions that companies can take in the fight against climate change, the top responses include “invest in environmental technologies” at 68.8% and “improve recycling and reuse of products” at 57.5%.
Yasunori Ogawa, global president of Epson, emphasizes the need to understand attitudes towards ongoing climate change, highlighting Epson’s commitment to achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 through positive climate action and delivering solutions to enrich lives and build a better world. He also underscores the importance of listening to the younger generation to align positive actions with their lifelong experience of climate change.
