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Report by Lynne Jones MP - Summary of Responses of Survey on Climate Change in Moseley – June 2008

 

SUSMO

As a resident of Birmingham 13, I have signed up to SusMo, a local campaign set up by Moseley Forum which covers an area of 9000 households.  We are looking to make Moseley a more sustainable community both by personal action to cut our household CO2 emissions and through community initiatives, including with local businesses, schools and other public sector organisations and voluntary and faith organisations.

 

 

SURVEY ON CLIMATE CHANGE

 

The survey (appendix 1) was distributed to all electors in B13 within the current Selly Oak constituency boundary.  This document is a summary of responses.  Respondents were divided into three categories dependent upon their wish to register as a supporter of SusMo and whether their responses to survey questions 6, 7 & 8 indicated they were concerned about climate change.

 

In total, I received 222 completed surveys. 59% of respondents said they wished to register as a supporter of SusMo.  Of those who did not wish to register as a supporter, 79% indicated that they were concerned about the threat from climate change.

 

 

Categories

Number of respondents

Percentage of respondents

  1. SusMo Yes

 

132

59%

  1. SusMo No - concerned

 

71

32%

  1. SusMo No – unconcerned

 

19

9%

 

            Total

 

222

 

100%

 

 

CARBON FOOTPRINT PLEDGE

 

59% of respondents said they would sign the pledge at www.cred-uk.org/susmo to reduce their carbon footprint.

                             

                                         

 

Number of respondents

SusMo Yes

SusMo No - concerned

SusMo No - unconcerned

All categories

Yes, I will sign the pledge

 

 

113

 

17

 

2

 

132

No, I do not want to sign the pledge

 

19

 

54

 

17

 

90

 

Total

 

 

132

 

71

 

19

 

222

 

LIFESTYLE CHANGES

 

89% of respondents have made changes to their lifestyles as a result of the threat from climate change.

 

 

Number of respondents

SusMo Yes

SusMo No - concerned

SusMo No - unconcerned

All categories

Yes, I have made changes to my own lifestyle as a result of climate change

 

 

126

 

65

 

6

 

197

No, I have not made changes to my own lifestyle as a result of climate change

 

 

6

 

6

 

13

 

25

 

Total

 

132

 

71

 

19

 

222

 

 

 

WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE

 

Answers that fell under the general heading of ‘changing transport habits’ were given most frequently.  53% of all respondents said that they had changed their transport habits to help tackle climate change.  For example, people said that they had begun cycling to work or were increasing their use of public transport.

 

However, the single most frequent response people gave was ‘recycling’.  65 people, or 29% of all respondents, said that they were recycling their household waste in an effort to combat climate change.

 

For further details please see Appendix 2a and 2b.

 

 

OUR CARBON “FOOTPRINT”

 

I asked people how important they felt it was to a) reduce Moseley’s carbon emissions and b) meet national and international climate change targets.  Respondents were asked to score these questions on a scale of 1 to 10 (in which 10 is most important).

 

Moseley

80% of respondents felt that reducing Moseley’s carbon emissions is important or very important and only 8% think that it is unimportant or very unimportant.

 

National & International

89% of respondents felt that meeting national and international climate change targets is important or very important and only 5% think it is unimportant or very unimportant.

 

 

It is interesting that 21% more people feel it is very important to meet national and international targets than feel it is very important to reduce carbon emissions on a local level but, of course, what happens in Moseley will have an impact on the national picture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Score

 

 

Opinion

Reducing Moseley’s carbon emissions

Meeting national & international climate change targets

Number of respondents

% of respondents

Number of respondents

% of respondents

1>2

 

Very unimportant

9

4%

7

3%

3>4

 

Unimportant

7

3%

3

1%

5>6

 

Neither/uncertain

26

13%

13

6%

7>8

 

Important

55

27%

30

14%

9>10

 

Very important

108

53%

154

74%

 

 

For further details see appendix 3a & 3b

 

 

 

 

PEOPLE’S ATTITUDES TO CLIMATE CHANGE

 

1) Individual responsibility

 

I asked people to give a score from 1 to 10 depending on how strongly they agreed or disagreed with the statement: I would do more to try to stop climate change if other people did too.

 

49% of respondents strongly agree or agree  and 26% of respondents strongly disagree or disagree with the statement above.  For further details please see appendix 4.  It is pleasing that such a significant number of people were committed to action to combat climate change irrespective of other people’s actions, though perhaps inevitable that people felt that their actions would have a greater impact if others joined in too, which would encourage them to redouble their efforts.

 

2) Government responsibilities

 

I then asked people to give a score from 1 to 10 depending on how strongly they agreed or disagreed with the statement: The Government should take a lead in combating climate change, even if it means using the law/tax system to change people’s behaviour.

 

A much higher proportion, 57% of respondents, strongly agree and only 7% of respondents strongly disagree with the statement above.  For further details please see appendix 4c.

 

On average respondents gave a score of 8.1, which corresponds with the opinion, agree (see appendix 4d). This result is backed up by appendix 4c, which shows that in total 81% of respondents agree or strongly agree that the Government should take a lead in the fight against climate change.

 

 

TRANSPORT

                            

1) Aviation

 

Aviation should be made more expensive

         59% of respondents agree or strongly agree with this statement.

         20% of respondents disagree or strongly disagree.

         21% of respondents neither agree nor disagree.

 

See appendix 5a

 

I would be willing to pay more for aviation if the money raised was used to provide fast train links

         67% of respondents agree or strongly agree with this statement.

         19% of respondents disagree or strongly disagree.

         14% of respondents neither agree nor disagree.

 

See appendix 5b

 

2) Motoring

 

Motoring should be made more expensive

         51% of respondents agree or strongly agree with this statement.

         28% of respondents disagree or strongly disagree.

         21% of respondents neither agree nor disagree.

 

See appendix 5c

I would be willing to pay more for motoring if the money raised was used to improve public transport

         69% of respondents agree or strongly agree with this statement.

         18% of respondents disagree or strongly disagree.

         13% of respondents neither agree nor disagree.

 

See appendix 5d

 

 

Survey Question/Statement

 

Percentage of respondents who agreed or strongly agreed with the statement

 

Aviation should be made more expensive

 

 

59%

 

Motoring should be made more expensive

 

 

51%

I would be willing to pay more for aviation if the money raised was used to provide fast train links

 

 

67%

I would be willing to pay more for motoring if the money raised was used to improve public transport

 

69%

 

Average scores

 

On average people agree with the statement, Aviation should be made more expensive, and agree (slightly more strongly) with the statement, I would be willing to pay more for aviation if the money raised was used to provide fast train links.

 

On average people neither agree nor disagree with the statement, Motoring should be made more expensive, and agree with the statement, I would be willing to pay more for motoring if the money raised was used to improve public transport.

 

 

Survey Question/Statement

 

 

Number of respondents who answered this question

 

Total score

(all the scores added up)

 

Average score given by respondents

 

Aviation should be made more expensive

 

197

 

1393

 

7.1

 

Motoring should be made more expensive

 

197

 

1207

 

6.1

 

I would be willing to pay more for aviation if the money raised was used to provide fast train links

 

190

 

1387

 

7.3

 

I would be willing to pay more for motoring if the money raised was used to improve public transport

 

192

 

1442

 

7.5

 

For further details please see appendix 5e

Score

Opinion

1>2

Strongly disagree

3>4

Disagree

5>6

Neither agree nor disagree

7>8

Agree

9>10

Strongly agree

 

The results from the survey were obtained before the more recent sharp increases in the global cost of oil, which has seen a 20% reduction in road fuel sales.  People are now paying much more to use their cars and there is greater incentive to opt for more fuel-efficient vehicles. The Government should impose a windfall tax on the energy companies’ inflated profits and spend the extra revenue it has got from taxation on our transport infrastructure

 

BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL

 

Action people would like Birmingham City Council to take

 

The action that most people would like to see Birmingham City Council takie to help tackle climate change is to improve public transport.  36% of respondents gave this as their top answer.

 

18% of respondents said that the most important action would be to improve recycling services, or improve access to recycling services.

 

Action Birmingham City Council could take to tackle climate change

 

Number of respondents

 

Percentage of all respondents*

Recycling improvements

40

18%

Public transport improvements

80

36%

Take action to reduce car use

31

14%

Cycling improvements

18

8%

Reduce own carbon footprint

21

9%

Offer financial subsidies

9

4%

Reduce electricity in public places

11

5%

Raise awareness

9

4%

Other

17

8%

 

Total number of answers given

 

236

 

 

*Based on the total number of completed questionnaires received (222), rather than the total number of answers given as respondents often gave more than one suggestion.

 

For further details please see appendix 6.

Although Birmingham City Council is not directly responsible for public transport they do (though the Cabinet Member for Transportation, representation on Centro, the Passenger Transport Executive and on Regional bodies) exercise considerable influence on transport policy.

 

Appendices

 

SURVEY

Appendix 1

 

Survey on Climate Change

 

Please circle your Yes/No answers:

 

1. Did you receive the Sustainable Moseley calendar?  Yes/No
(If no, go to 4)

 

2. If yes, did you find it useful?  Yes/No

 

3. If the calendar is produced for 2009 is there any other information you would like to see included?

 

4. Would you like to register as a supporter of SusMo (to be kept informed of meetings and activities)?  Yes/No

 

5. Will you sign the pledge to reduce your carbon footprint at:
www.cred-uk.org/susmo ?  Yes/No

 

6. Have you made any changes in your own lifestyle as a result of the threat from climate change?  Yes/No

 

7. What is the number one thing you are doing to help tackle climate change?

 

8. On a scale of 1 to 10 (in which 10 is most important), how important is:
(a) reducing Moseley’s carbon emissions
£
(b) meeting national and international climate change targets
£

 

9. On a scale of 1 to 10 (in which 1 is strongly disagree and 10 is strongly agree) how strongly do you agree or disagree that:

(a) I would do more to try to stop climate change if other people did too. £

(b) The Government should take a lead in combating climate change, even if it means using the law/tax system to change people’s behaviour. £

(c) Aviation should be made more expensive. £

(d) Motoring should be made more expensive. £

(e) I would be willing to pay more for aviation if the money raised was used to provide fast train links. £

(f) I would be willing to pay more for motoring if money raised was used to improve public transport. £

 

10. What is the number one thing you would like Birmingham City Council to do to help tackle climate change?

 

WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE

Appendix 2a

 

 

What people are doing to tackle climate change

 

SusMo Yes

 

 

 

SusMo No - concerned

 

SusMo No - unconcerned

 

Total number of respondents

 

Percentage of all 222 respondents

 

No.

 

%

 

No.

 

%

 

No.

 

%

 

Reducing energy use in the home

 

 

55

 

42%

 

22

 

31%

 

5

 

26%

 

82

 

37%

 

Reducing household waste

 

 

51

 

39%

 

33

 

46%

 

2

 

11%

 

86

 

39%

 

Changing transport habits

 

 

78

 

 

59%

 

39

 

55%

 

1

 

5%

 

118

 

53%

 

Other

 

 

 

9

 

 

7%

 

8

 

11%

 

0

 

0%

 

17

 

 8%

 

Appendix 2b

 

 

Number of respondents

What people are doing to tackle climate change

SusMo Yes

SusMo No- concerned

SusMo No - unconcerned

 

1. Reducing energy use in the home

         Switching off household appliances

         Switch off the lights

         Transfer to energy saving light bulbs

         Insulation

         Wash clothes at a lower temperature

         Turn the heating down

         (Generally) reduce energy

 

 

  5

  5

  8

  8

  1

  6

22

 

 

4

4

1

2

 

6

5

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

3

 

Total

55

22

5

 

2. Reducing household waste

         Recycling

         Composting

         Reuse items (e.g. plastic bags)

         Buy less ‘new’ things

 

 

 40

  4

  4

  3

 

 

24

3

4

2

 

 

1

 

1

Total

51

33

2

 

3. Changing transport habits

         Use car less

         Use public transport more

         Cycle more

         Walk more

         Cut down on flights

         Buy a low emission car

 

 

34

16

  9

11

  7

  1

 

 

14

8

6

4

4

3

 

 

1

Total

78

39

1

 

4. Other

         Grow own food

         Buy local produce

         Conserve water

         Transferring to ‘good energy’ supplier

         Eat less meat

         Being aware of the problem at all times

         Voting for ‘green’ politicians

 

 

  2

  3

  2

 1

 

 

1

 

2

 

2

2

1

 

Total

9

8

0

 

*Respondents often gave more than one answer to this question. For example, people often wrote that they were minimising car use and trying to walk more. Where two answers were given, both are included.

 

CO2 EMISSIONS

How important is:

 

(a)     reducing Moseley’s carbon emissions

(b)    meeting national & international climate change targets

 

Appendix 3a

 

 

Score

 

Opinion

 

Reducing Moseley’s carbon emissions

 

Number of respondents

SusMo Yes

SusMoNo-C

SusMoNo-Un

1>2

 

Very unimportant

0

2

7

3>4

 

Unimportant

4

3

0

5>6

 

Neither/uncertain

14

9

3

7>8

 

Important

34

18

3

9>10

 

Very important

69

38

1

 

 

 

Total*

 

121

 

70

 

14

 

 

 

Score

 

Opinion

 

Meeting national & international climate change targets

 

Number of respondents

SusMoYes

SusMo No-C

SusMo No-Un

1>2

 

Very unimportant

1

0

6

3>4

 

Unimportant

3

0

0

5>6

 

Neither/uncertain

5

4

4

7>8

 

Important

16

11

3

9>10

 

Very important

97

56

1

 

 

 

Total*

 

122

 

71

 

14

 

Appendix 3b

 

Opinion

Percentage of respondents

SusMo Yes

SusMo No - concerned

SusMo No - unconcerned

Reducing Moseley’s carbon emissions is important/very important.

85%

80%

29%

Meeting national and international climate change targets is important/very important

93%

94%

29%

 

PEOPLE’S ATTITUDES TO CLIMATE CHANGE

1) Individual responsibility:

 

I would do more to try to stop climate change if other people did too

 

Appendix 4a

 

Score

Opinion

No. of respondents in each category

 

SusMo Yes

SusMo No – concerned

SusMo No- unconcerned

All

Number

%

1>2

 

Strongly disagree

 

22

 

15

 

7

 

44

 

20%

3>4

 

Disagree

 

11

 

2

 

1

 

14

 

6%

5>6

 

Neither agree nor disagree

 

33

 

16

 

3

 

52

 

24%

7>8

 

Agree

 

26

 

11

 

1

 

38

 

18%

9>10

 

Strongly agree

 

39

 

26

 

3

 

68

 

31%

 

 

 

Total

 

131

 

70

 

15

 

216

 

2) Government responsibility:

The Government should take a lead in combating climate change, even if it means using the law/tax system to change people’s behaviour.

 

Appendix 4b

 

Score

Opinion

No. of respondents in each category

 

SusMo Yes

SusMo No – concerned

SusMo No- unconcerned

All

1>2

 

Strongly disagree

8

2

6

16

3>4

 

Disagree

1

0

1

2

5>6

 

Neither agree nor disagree

11

6

5

22

7>8

 

Agree

33

16

3

52

9>10

 

Strongly agree

78

46

0

124

 

 

 

Total

131

70

15

216

 

Appendix 4c - average scores

 

 

Categories

SusMo Yes

SusMo No – concerned

SusMo No- unconcerned

All

Total of all scores added together

1092

610

58

1760

Total number of respondents

131

70

15

216

Average score

8.3

8.7

 

3.9

8.1

Opinion

Agree

Agree

Disagree

Agree

 

 

TRANSPORT

 

1) Aviation:

 

Aviation should be made more expensive

 

Appendix 5a

 

 

 

Number of respondents

Score

Opinion

SusMo Yes

 

SusMo No - concerned

SusMo No - unconcerned

All categories

1>2

 

Strongly disagree

8

11

10

29

3>4

 

Disagree

7

3

1

11

5>6

 

Neither agree nor disagree

26

15

0

41

7>8

 

Agree

25

11

0

36

9>10

 

Strongly agree

50

28

2

80

 

 

 

Total no. of responses*

 

116

 

68

 

13

 

197

 

*Based on the number of people who answered this question, rather than the total number of surveys returned.

I would be willing to pay more for aviation if the money raised was used to provide fast train links

 

Appendix 5b

 

 

 

Number of respondents

Score

Opinion

SusMo Yes

 

SusMo No - concerned

SusMo No - unconcerned

All categories

1>2

 

Strongly disagree

10

9

9

28

3>4

 

Disagree

5

3

0

8

5>6

 

Neither agree nor disagree

12

13

1

26

7>8

 

Agree

27

17

1

45

9>10

 

Strongly agree

60

23

0

83

 

 

 

Total no. of responses*

 

114

 

65

 

11

 

190

 

2) Motoring

 

Motoring should be made more expensive

 

Appendix 5c

 

 

 

Number of respondents

Score

Opinion

SusMo Yes

 

SusMo No - concerned

SusMo No - unconcerned

All categories

1>2

 

Strongly disagree

15

16

12

43

3>4

 

Disagree

7

5

1

13

5>6

 

Neither agree nor disagree

21

21

0

42

7>8

 

Agree

37

15

0

52

9>10

 

Strongly agree

39

10

0

49

 

 

 

Total no. of responses

 

119

 

67

 

13

 

199

 

I would be willing to pay more for motoring if the money raised was used to improve public transport

 

Appendix 5d

 

 

 

Number of respondents

Score

Opinion

SusMo Yes

 

SusMo No - concerned

SusMo No - unconcerned

All categories

1>2

 

Strongly disagree

12

10

9

31

3>4

 

Disagree

1

3

0

4

5>6

 

Neither agree nor disagree

12

11

3

26

7>8

 

Agree

22

16

2

40

9>10

 

Strongly agree

68

26

0

94

 

 

 

Total no. of responses*

 

115

 

66

 

14

 

195

 

Average Scores

 

Appendix 5e

 

 

Survey Question/Statement

 

 

No. of respondents who answered this question

 

Total score

(all the scores added up)

 

SusMo Yes

 

SusMo

 No-C

 

SusMo

No-Un

 

SusMo Yes

 

SusMo No-C

 

SusMo No-Un

 

Aviation should be made more expensive

 

118

 

 

67

 

12

 

901

 

 

459

 

33

 

Motoring should be made more expensive

 

119

 

 

67

 

11

 

839

 

 

354

 

14

I would be willing to pay more for aviation if the money raised was used to provide fast train links

 

115

 

65

 

10

 

918

 

448

 

21

I would be willing to pay more for motoring if the money raised was used to improve public transport

 

114

 

66

 

12

 

943

 

467

 

32

 

 

Survey Question/Statement

 

 

Average score given by respondents

 

 

SusMo Yes

 

SusMo No-C

 

SusMo No-Un

 

Aviation should be made more expensive

 

7.6

 

 

6.9

 

2.8

 

Motoring should be made more expensive

 

7.1

 

 

5.3

 

1.3

I would be willing to pay more for aviation if the money raised was used to provide fast train links

 

8.0

 

6.9

 

2.1

I would be willing to pay more for motoring if the money raised was used to improve public transport

 

8.3

 

7.1

 

2.7

 

Score

Opinion

1>2

Strongly disagree

3>4

Disagree

5>6

Neither agree nor disagree

7>8

Agree

9>10

Strongly agree

ACTION PEOPLE WOULD LIKE BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE

 

Appendix 6

 

 

Action Birmingham City Council could take to tackle climate change

 

Number of respondents

 

SusMo Yes

SusMo No - concerned

SusMo No - unconcerned

Improve access to recycling bins/

Improve recycling services

23

 

15

2

 

Improve public transport/

Make public transport more affordable

48

 

23

9

Ban cars in the city centre/Bring in a congestion charge/Reduce car travel

24

 

6

1

Improve the cycle network

14

4

0

Reduce its own carbon footprint/

Reduce waste in its offices

13

 

6

2

Subsidise solar heating systems/

Offer financial subsidies to people who are trying to reduce their carbon footprint

7

2

0

Reduce unnecessary electricity use in public places/street lighting/on motorways

5

 

6

0

Reduce the number of employees

0

0

1

Focus on issues other than climate change

0

0

2

Raise awareness/Educate people/ Encourage people to make changes to their lifestyles

6

 

3

0

Encourage shops/suppliers to reduce packaging

0

1

0

Encourage people to eat less meat

0

2

0

Encourage the use of compost bins

1

0

0

Set and meet tough targets/

Encourage local initiatives

2

 

0

0

Ban plastic bags

2

1

0

Encourage other public buildings to reduce their waste

0

1

0

Plant more trees

1

0

0

Improve the insulation of public buildings

1

0

0

Restrict supermarket expansion

1

0

0

Stop building on green areas

0

1

0

 

Total number of answers given

(some people gave more than one suggestion)

148*

71

17

 


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