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Climate change in Sunshine Coast 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. 

Sunshine Coast Belief in Climate Change
Sunshine Coast 2023
0.0
Collected May 2024

In Sunshine Coast, 89% of residents believe climate change is happening. 41% believe climate change is caused entirely or mostly by human activities. A further 9% 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?
Sunshine Coast 2024 (n = 1944)
August 2023 (n = 0)
Climate change is happening and is caused entirely or mostly by human activities
41%
0%
Climate change is happening and is caused equally by human activities and natural causes
34%
0%
Climate change is happening and is caused entirely or mostly by natural causes
9%
0%
Climate change is happening, but I am not sure what is causing it
6%
0%
I do not believe climate change is happening
11%
0%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Impacts of climate change in your local area

Among those that believe in climate change, 51% indicated that their local area is currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 34% 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 38% somewhat confident. 52% 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?
Sunshine Coast 2024 (n = 1738)
August 2023 (n = 0)
My local area is feeling the effects of climate change
51%
0%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect it will in my lifetime
34%
0%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect it will in my lifetime
14%
0%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Sunshine Coast 2024 (n = 1484)
August 2023 (n = 0)
Very confident
4%
0%
Somewhat confident
38%
0%
Not very confident
39%
0%
Not at all confident
13%
0%
Don't know
6%
0%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

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 (76%), Storms (73%) and Extreme heat (71%). The top actions residents felt should be taken to address the effects of climate change in their local area were: Protect and enhance local biodiversity (69%), Educate residents on how to live more sustainably (60%) and Reduce pollution of the environment (55%).

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?
Sunshine Coast 2024 (n = 1439)
August 2023 (n = 0) Sort by
Flooding
76%
0%
Storms
73%
0%
Extreme heat
71%
0%
Bushfires
51%
0%
Sea level rise
39%
0%
Severe wind
34%
0%
Droughts
31%
0%
Cyclones
25%
0%
Landslide
12%
0%
Extremely cold temperatures
8%
0%
Earthquakes
2%
0%
Other
3%
0%
None of these
1%
0%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Sunshine Coast 2024 (n = 1484)
August 2023 (n = 0) Sort by
Protect and enhance local biodiversity
69%
0%
Educate residents on how to live more sustainably
60%
0%
Reduce pollution of the environment
55%
0%
Provide options for recycling waste
54%
0%
Conserve natural resources
53%
0%
Adopt renewable energy sources
52%
0%
The use of more sustainable transport options
49%
0%
More sustainable building and development practices
48%
0%
Encourage residents to buy locally
42%
0%
Create renewable energy sources
41%
0%
Reduce carbon emissions in the local area
40%
0%
Host renewable energy projects in the local area
39%
0%
Other
6%
0%
None of these
2%
0%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Impacts of climate change on residents

Among those that believe in climate change, 45% indicated that they themselves are currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 38% expected to within their lifetime. Of those, 9% were very confident that they would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 58% somewhat confident. 29% 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?
Sunshine Coast 2024 (n = 1738)
August 2023 (n = 0)
I am feeling the effects of climate change
45%
0%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect to in my lifetime
38%
0%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect to in my lifetime
16%
0%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Sunshine Coast 2024 (n = 1451)
August 2023 (n = 0)
Very confident
9%
0%
Somewhat confident
58%
0%
Not very confident
25%
0%
Not at all confident
4%
0%
Don't know
4%
0%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

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 (84%), Harder to get/more expensive food items (68%) and My ability to leave my home due to weather (42%). 54% feel climate change will reduce their quality of life somewhat, and a further 18% 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?
Sunshine Coast 2024 (n = 1451)
August 2023 (n = 0) Sort by
Increased household running costs
84%
0%
Harder to get/more expensive food items
68%
0%
My ability to leave my home due to weather
42%
0%
My ability to access nature due to weather
39%
0%
Challenges getting around
39%
0%
Essential infrastructure vulnerability
34%
0%
Loss or damage to your home/property
31%
0%
Reduction in air quality
31%
0%
Transport infrastructure vulnerability
28%
0%
Challenges accessing essential services
24%
0%
Reduced personal safety/health (myself/others)
22%
0%
Reduced value to your home/property
12%
0%
Other
3%
0%
None of these
2%
0%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Sunshine Coast 2024 (n = 1451)
August 2023 (n = 0)
It will improve a lot
1%
0%
It will improve somewhat
6%
0%
It will not change
14%
0%
It will reduce somewhat
54%
0%
It will reduce a lot
18%
0%
Don't know
7%
0%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower