2023-06-06 06:00:00
SURVEY – More than 90% of people questioned for an Ifop study testify to an intensification of extreme events in their region.
After a summer of 2022 marked by several heat waves, an intense period of drought and devastating fires, the French are not approaching the next summer season with serenity. As summer approaches, three-quarters of them (76%) express their concern about global warming, according to an Ifop* poll for the Conséquences association (which focuses on the impacts of climate change on daily life).
The French ” understood that the summers to come will unfortunately be marked by the consequences » of this warming and that the past heat waves « will become the norm », notes the director of the association, Sylvain Trottier. 92% of those questioned testify to an intensification of climatic events in their region, in particular heat waves and heat waves (62% affirm that they have increased in frequency) and episodes of drought. And 87% believe that these impacts will increase in the more or less long term.
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The survey compares the level of concern for the whole of France to that of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, where it jumped to 83% (33% even say they are very worried). While this result is probably fueled by a more sustained intensification of climate change in this region, « we have very common observations between the two groups, we are not in two different worlds », observes Frédéric Dabi, Director General of Ifop. According to him, « generational divides have faded, as have geographical divides : now, the phenomenon is global, whether in Dunkirk, Lille, Nantes or Paca ».
Thus, even if in the current context of inflation, purchasing power remains the number one concern of the French, climate change comes in third place, after health. « We are no longer on the battle “end of the world versus end of the month” », notes Frédéric Dabi. 61% of respondents say they are particularly concerned about the impacts of global warming on agricultural and food production, more than half about water restrictions or the risk of fires (60%). In the Paca region, this fear of fires concerns three quarters of respondents.
Citizens willing to make efforts
Faced with these risks, only 11% of French people feel that sufficient actions have been taken near them. An inertia that pushes them to take their responsibilities, according to the survey: if the State is designated as the main actor to take measures (67%), the « individual citizens » come in second place (39%). And good practices are taking hold: « The majority of respondents (86 %) say they are ready to reduce their water consumption (70 % already say they do) » and 68% say they are ready to install water collectors, notes Sylvain Trottier, who recalls that « the 2022 barometer of the Water Information Center carried out by Kantar establishes a constant increase in the fear of running out of water on the part of the French for ten years (from 49 % to 69 % in between 2013 et 2022) ».
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These fears are justified, at least for the coming summer. Because despite late rains in May in several regions, a large majority of groundwater remains at worrying levels, according to the latest monthly report from the Geological and Mining Research Bureau (BRGM). At 1is May, 68% of the slicks were in fact at « moderately low to very low levels ». Restrictions are already in place in many departments. The Gard and the Pyrénées-Orientales are even largely at the “crisis” level: only priority samples (related to health and safety) are authorized there.
Map of orders limiting water use as of June 5. Propluvia
If the French express their concern for the coming summer, global warming could permanently modify their summer habits, according to the Ifop poll. 53% say they are ready to leave at times of the year when the weather conditions are milder or to prefer a destination where it is cooler. Frédéric Dabi finally raises a figure « staggering » : 6% of respondents (8% in the Paca region) say that the consequences of global warming encourage them to move permanently. ” We are certainly only on the declarative, but this represents a significant part of the population “, notes the director of Ifop. And an eloquent sign of general awareness.
* Survey conducted in May 2023 with a sample “ grand public » of 1508 people, representative of the French population aged 18 years and older, and a sample Paca » of 901 people representative of the population living in the Paca region and aged 18 years and older.
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