Sign in
Clarence Valley Council community views

This section includes climate change questions for Clarence Valley Council residents.

Resources
Views.id platform tour
About the Living in Place community survey
Understanding Health and Wellbeing
Understanding Housing
Understanding Transport Infrastructure
Understanding Social Infrastructure
Understanding Financial Wellbeing and Economic Confidence
Insights workshop slides - 2024
Key findings video - 2024
Share this page

Climate change in Clarence Valley Council in 2024

The section reports on your residents’ most pressing local area concerns, and how your residents’ views regarding climate change, across and within your LGA. 

Clarence Valley Council Belief in Climate Change
Australia: 2024
91%
New South Wales: 2024
90%
Northern NSW: 2024
87%
Regional Australia: 2024
86%
Collected November 2024

In Clarence Valley Council, 87% of residents believe climate change is happening. 34% believe climate change is caused entirely or mostly by human activities. A further 11% of residents believe climate change is caused entirely or mostly by natural causes.

Which of the following best describes your personal views on climate change?
Clarence Valley Council 2024
It's happening, caused entirely/mostly by human activities
34%
It's happening, caused equally by human and natural
36%
It's happening, caused entirely/mostly by natural causes
11%
It's happening, not sure what is causing it
7%
I don't believe climate change is happening
13%

Impacts of climate change in your local area

Among those that believe in climate change, 55% indicated that their local area is currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 32% expected their local area to feel the effects within their lifetime. Of those, 4% were very confident that their local area would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 37% somewhat confident. 54% were not confident.

Please select the extent to which climate change is impacting or will impact your local area in your lifetime?
How confident are you that your local area will be able to adapt to the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Clarence Valley Council 2024
My local area is feeling the effects of climate change
55%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect it will in my lifetime
32%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect it will in my lifetime
13%
Clarence Valley Council 2024
Very confident
4%
Somewhat confident
37%
Not very confident
38%
Not at all confident
16%
Don't know
6%

Among the group of residents that felt their local area is currently feeling, or will feel, the effects of climate change in their lifetime, the top local area climate-related events were: Flooding (87%), Bushfires (81%) and Storms (72%). The top actions residents felt should be taken to address the effects of climate change in their local area were: Educate residents on how to live more sustainably (62%), Protect and enhance local biodiversity (plants and animals) (62%) and Conserve natural resources (e.g. air, water, soil, etc.) (54%).

How is your local area currently, or how do you expect it will, feel the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
What do you feel are the best ways to address the effects of climate change in your local area?
Clarence Valley Council 2024
Flooding
87%
Bushfires
81%
Storms
72%
Extreme heat
71%
Droughts
54%
Severe wind
40%
Other
27%
Cyclones
12%
Extremely cold temperatures
8%
Landslide
7%
None of these
3%
Earthquakes
2%
Clarence Valley Council 2024
Educate residents on how to live more sustainably
62%
Protect and enhance local biodiversity (plants and animals)
62%
Conserve natural resources (e.g. air, water, soil, etc.)
54%
Reduce pollution of the environment
52%
Through more sustainable building and development practices
50%
Provide options for recycling waste (e.g. household waste, food waste, e-waste, etc.).
47%
Adopt renewable energy sources
46%
Encourage residents to buy locally
41%
Host renewable energy projects in the local area (e.g. solar, wind, hydro, etc.)
39%
Create renewable energy sources
35%
Reduce carbon emissions in the local area
31%
The use of more sustainable transport options
27%
Other
7%
None of these
4%

Impacts of climate change on residents

Among those that believe in climate change, 44% indicated that they themselves are currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 40% expected to within their lifetime. Of those, 10% were very confident that they would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 60% somewhat confident. 28% were not confident.

Please select the extent to which climate change is impacting or will impact you personally in your lifetime?
How confident are you that you personally will be able to adapt to the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Clarence Valley Council 2024
I am feeling the effects of climate change
44%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect to in my lifetime
40%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect to in my lifetime
15%
Clarence Valley Council 2024
Very confident
10%
Somewhat confident
60%
Not very confident
24%
Not at all confident
3%
Don't know
3%

Among the group of residents that felt they are currently feeling, or will feel, the effects of climate change in their lifetime, the top personal impacts were: Increased household running costs (e.g. energy, water, insurance, etc) (82%), Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items (58%) and Challenges getting around (e.g. damage to roads, public transport) (47%). 49% feel climate change will reduce their quality of life somewhat, and a further 20% feel it will reduce their quality of life a lot.

How are you currently, or how do you expect to, personally feel the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Which of the following best represents how you believe the effects of climate change will affect your quality of life?
Clarence Valley Council 2024
Increased household running costs (e.g. energy, water, insurance, etc)
82%
Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items
58%
Challenges getting around (e.g. damage to roads, public transport)
47%
Essential infrastructure vulnerability (e.g. water, electricity, gas, sanitation)
39%
Loss or damage to your home/property
39%
My ability to leave my home due to weather (e.g. extreme heat, cold, rain, storms, wind, etc.)
37%
Challenges accessing essential services (e.g. emergency and health services)
34%
Reduction in air quality
25%
Transport infrastructure vulnerability (e.g. roads, rail, public transport services)
25%
My ability to access nature due to weather (e.g. erosion of parks, coastal areas, etc.)
25%
Reduced personal safety or health to myself and/or those around me
24%
Reduced value to your home/property
21%
Other
3%
None of these
2%
Clarence Valley Council 2024
It will improve a lot
1%
It will improve somewhat
6%
It will not change
15%
It will reduce somewhat
49%
It will reduce a lot
20%
Don't know
9%