91Èȱ¬

Nine in 10 (93%) Welsh people believe that the world's climate is changing and three in four (72%) think that the lead to combat climate change should come from the Government, even if it means using the law to change people's behaviour, according to new research.

The research into people's attitudes towards climate change was commissioned by 91Èȱ¬ Cymru Wales.

It forms the basis of the Green Wales season of thought-provoking programming which takes an inquisitive look into what we are doing both as individuals and as a society to address the problem.

As politicans across the world prepare for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 91Èȱ¬ Wales will be asking – if the climate's changing, are we?

Although three-quarters (75%) believe that the majority of recent climate change is a result of human behaviour, according to the research, over half of those people (52%) asked believe that whatever we do as individuals won't make a difference when other countries are using more and more fossil fuel.

"What I feel really cross about is countries like America," explains a woman from Carmarthen. "They emit so much and destroy so much of the world."

When questioned on how they think change will happen, three in four (72%) think that the lead should come from the Government.

As one man from Caernarfon suggested: "The Council could do more with your poll tax: if you recycle 50% of your waste, you get 20% discount on your poll tax. Something like that would motivate everyone."

The report suggests that there is a willingness to make changes with three quarters (76%) thinking that altering their lifestyle is worthwhile; however, one in three agree that making those changes is too expensive (32%).

"It's important that children know that they need to recycle," comments a teenager from Carmarthen.

"We are the ones who will be here in the future so we need to care about what the world will be like for when we're older."

Commenting on the report, Mandy Rose, Creative Director for Green Wales, says: "The survey suggests that the vast majority of people in Wales now believe that there is climate change caused by human activity, and they're concerned about it. But it's not a simple picture. The focus groups we commissioned reveal a lot of confusion about the issue of climate change and uncertainty about what people should be doing in response.

"91Èȱ¬ Wales's Green Wales season aims to fill this gap – with a raft of programming and debate over the coming weeks about what is being done in Wales to reduce the use of fossil fuels and live more sustainably."

On television

Changing Lives, Monday 30 November; Thursday 3 December; Monday 7 December; Friday 11 December; Monday 14 December, 91Èȱ¬ One Wales, 8.30pm

Make Do And Mend, Tuesday 1 December, 91Èȱ¬ Two Wales, 7.00pm

Week In Week Out: Coming Clean On Climate Change, Tuesday 1 December, 91Èȱ¬ One Wales, 10.35pm

Cheat Neutral, Tuesday 1 December, 91Èȱ¬ Two Wales, 11.20pm

Perfect Summer, Wednesday 2 December, 91Èȱ¬ One Wales, 10.45pm

The Polar Bear Song, Wednesday 2 December, 91Èȱ¬ Two Wales, 11.20pm

What's The Point, Tuesday 15 December, 91Èȱ¬ One Wales, 10.45pm

How Green Was My Quarry, Wednesday 16 December, 91Èȱ¬ One Wales, 10.45pm

Dragon's Eye Green Debate, Thursday 17 December, 91Èȱ¬ One Wales, 10.35pm

On radio

A host of special programmes on 91Èȱ¬ Radio Cymru and 91Èȱ¬ Radio Wales

Online

Join in the debate, get news and stories from around Wales, catch up on the programmes in the season and watch exclusive web videos at bbc.co.uk/wales and bbc.co.uk/radiocymru.

Notes to Editors

Two separate research studies were conducted for the Green Wales report.

Qualitative research by Beaufort Research with six discussion groups: two groups of 14-19 year olds, two groups of 20-44 year olds, and two groups of 45-64 year olds.

The research was compiled on 27 and 28 October 2009 with a mix of life stages, social grade, BME background and English and Welsh language groups. The discussion groups were held in Caernarfon, Carmarthen and Newport

A quantative bilingual telephone survey by Beaufort Research with 1,004 16+ adults questioned between 21 September and 7 October 2009.

SR