Most Kenyans want government to focus on fixing economy, survey shows
Fixing the economy is the most urgent issue that the government and companies should be focusing on, Epson’s second climate reality barometer shows. According to the survey 48.4 per cent of Kenyans believe this is the way for the government to go.
On the other hand, the survey also showed that apart from fixing the economy, 20 per cent of Kenyans also want solutions to climate change. The research shows that people see climate change as a primary threat which is at par with the ongoing financial crisis.
Results of the survey, which conducted across 28 markets with 26,205 respondents, shows that despite increasing climate impacts, climate optimism has grown to over 48 per cent.
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“Globally, respondents from Kenya are amongst the most optimistic (76 per cent) that we will avert a climate disaster in their lifetime, with only 13 percent pessimistic that we will avert a climate disaster in their lifetime. Those aged 25-34 are the most optimistic (80.5 per cent), and those aged 16-24 are the least optimistic (67.7 per cent),” the survey states.
Epson Global President Yasunori Ogawa said that Epson’s corporate purpose is focused on improving lives and the planet.
“We will devote significant resources to achieve this. As the world gathers for COP27, our climate reality barometer aims to raise awareness and empower transformational change,” stated Yasunori.
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“We hope that the barometer’s insights will help governments, industries and individuals to step up their efforts to avert climate disaster. While we know there is a long way to go, we believe we can build a better future if we work together and act now,” he said.
The government of Kenya has no alternative but to lead by example as most people are already stepping up measures to mitigate the climate emergency. These include reducing plastic use (74.6 per cent), utilizing more reusable goods (74 per cent) and walking or cycling more often (7 per cent).
According to the survey, the key drivers of change in Kenya include government policy changes, witnessing the impacts of climate change and company or community sustainability programmes.