TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Pollster Indikator Politik Indonesia in partnership with NGO Indonesia Cerah Foundation conducted a poll on young voters’ opinion and perception towards climate change in Indonesia. The survey subjected respondents aged between 17-35 years of age across Indonesia.

The survey shows that 82 percent of the respondents in the 17-26 age group are aware and concerned about climate change. While 79 percent of the 27-35 age demographic show similar awareness.

Executive director of Indikator Politik Indonesia Burhanuddin Muhtadi said in a press conference on Wednesday “The generation Z showed high awareness regarding climate change, which is much higher than the millennial generation. The younger the voter, the more aware they are about this issue. I was pleasantly surprised with the results.”

Moreover, 61 percent of the gen Z and millennial demographic believes the environmental problem is sparked by human activities and that it needs to be handled in an urgent manner. Only 3 percent of the young voter group do not believe humans helped create the environmental crisis but are classified as ‘dismissives.’

81 percent of the younger group also believe environmental preservation and protection must take precedence even at the cost of economic growth. This age demographic argues that Indonesia political parties lack effort to tackle climate change.

The survey was held from September 9-16, 2021, on 4,020 respondents in the 17-35 age group through face-to-face interviews. The survey has a 1.8 percent margin of error with 95 percent level of confidence.

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DEWI NURITA