LS polls: First-time voters want candidates to address climate change

CHENNAI: Growing up amid extreme climate events like heavy rains and severe heat, a majority of first time voters in Tamil Nadu expect the candidates and parties, who are in the fray for Lok Sabha polls, to give commitment to address climate change issues.

Moreover, commitment towards climate change issues is the top most expectation along with addressing public health issues among the states first time voters, a study revealed.

According to 'Perception of First-Time Voters on Climate Education in India' survey conducted by Asar Social Impact Advisors, Climate Educators Network, and CMSR Consultants, 52.2 per cent of the respondents said that factors such as commitment to addressing climate change issues and prioritizing solutions for public health crises will influence their choice of political candidates or parties. As much as 50.2 per cent of the first-time voters want emphasis on addressing economic crises.

On the other hand, as much as 79.3 per cent first-time voters in West Bengal want their candidates and parties to be committed in addressing the climate change crisis while 52.2 per cent and 50.4 per cent of their counterparts in Maharashtra and Delhi, respectively, expect the same.

The survey was conducted among 1,600 first-time voters from 7 cities across four states - Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Maharashtra and West Bengal. Respondents were predominantly aged between 18 and 22 years with various educational backgrounds and income profiles.

While 52.2 per cent of the first time voters surveyed in Tamil Nadu stated that how committed a party or politician is to climate would influence their choice of candidates in an election, 55 per cent of the respondents believed that the most effective way of tackling the climate crisis would be through climate education and awareness.

"This is throwing light on the fact that young people are becoming more aware about climate change and is showing political parties that youth are concerned. Tamil Nadu political parties will have to up their game and respond to this call,” says G Sundarrajan of Poovulagin Nanbargal.

Nevertheless, More than 50 per cent of respondents in the state find it very important to incorporate climate education into learning systems, while almost 90 per cent believe that it is somewhat important.

Only 9 per cent were of the opinion that it is not important. A significant portion of respondents (52 per cent) identified the government as being responsible for the climate crisis, with 25 per cent of them saying individuals and 15 per cent saying industries.