Public Perception of Climate Change Seriousness Drops 5.1%

A survey found that the public’s perception of climate change as a serious issue has weakened compared to previous years. This is attributed to accumulated fatigue from environmental policies and discussions that do not resonate with people’s daily lives. Notably, those in their 20s showed the highest perception that “convenience in daily life takes precedence over eco-friendliness.”

According to the Korea Environment Institute (KEI)’s *2025 National Environmental Consciousness Survey* on the 19th, the proportion of respondents who said “climate change has a serious impact on society as a whole” decreased by 5.1 percentage points (p) from the previous year (88.6%) to 83.5%. The percentage of respondents who answered that “climate change has a serious impact on themselves” also fell by 8.6 percentage points to 57.9% from the previous year (66.5%). The proportion of respondents who said “climate change issues are important” also dropped by 4.4 percentage points to 79.3% from the previous year (83.7%).

Researchers analyzed, “Amid serious immediate socio-economic challenges such as rising prices, economic instability, and high unemployment, the topic of ‘eco-friendliness’ is no longer perceived as a top priority, and there is accumulated fatigue from environmental discussions lacking visible results.”

By age group, those in their 20s (including 19-year-olds) had the highest perception at 36.2% that “convenience in daily life is a priority.” This was followed by those in their 30s (27.6%), 40s (25.2%), 50s (19.9%), and those in their 60s or older (11.3%). Additionally, the response that “eco-friendliness is a priority” was lowest among those in their 20s (38.3%).

By gender, the response that “convenience is a priority” was more than 10 percentage points higher among men (28.7%) than women (17.6%). This suggests that domestic environmental policies are particularly ineffective in resonating with those in their 20s and men.

As for household expenditure items that have increased due to climate change (multiple responses allowed), “energy costs such as heating and gas bills” (70.2%) were cited most frequently. This was followed by food expenses (65.3%), medical costs (52.6%), and “eco-friendly product purchases” (50.8%).

The National Environmental Consciousness Survey has been conducted annually since 2012. It is the only government-related environmental awareness survey conducted on a yearly basis.