‘Global issue,’ ‘threat to humanity’, ‘moderate concern’. Are you worried about climate change?

Global South World asked people across three continents if they’re concerned about climate change and how it's affecting their lives and their countries.

Here’s what they said.

You can share your thoughts on our Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or X posts.

Bangkok, Thailand

Ayush: "Absolutely. I did a whole project in school where we calculated the amount of trash each district and tile in Bangkok produces. And it turns out that there is more trash produced than there are people accounting for it because there are so many people living outside the system. Nobody sorts their trash. No one recycles. No one cares about composting. No one cares about recycling metals. We are contributing so negatively to climate change right now."

Ethan: "No. We’re in Thailand and it’s hot."

Grace: "Absolutely. I think this is one of the hugest or most prevalent problems facing the entire world right now. And it's not just an individual issue. It's a global issue that everyone should give more importance to."

Mahmoud: "Yes and no. Over time, history sort of repeats itself. Call me an optimist. We can't deny what's going on in reality but I think we will do just enough to get it done, to keep our environment safe."

Aiden: "Yes. We are on track to almost reaching the irreversible point. It’s a global issue that should be at the forefront of everyone's minds."

Azman: "For me, obviously yes. It kind of affects us in a certain way, but more than us, I feel like it will affect people in the future. The major effects, I don’t think we will see for quite a while. A lot of people predict it will be happening soon, but I don't think so. I'm more concerned about future generations. There’s a saying: 'Hand the world back as beautiful as it was when it was handed to you.' That’s the hope."

Aiya: "I really do. I really care about the country, the environment, the animals. And I like how people are living. I want clean air for all of us and sustainable stuff. We’ve got to be more sustainable nowadays because the world is going down."

Yuta: "Yes. I feel like the past few generations have done a lot of damage to our planet. And now, as the youngest generation, we have to look after and mend what they’ve done. So I’m worried because it is our Earth. We all share it."

Fam: "I think I am. The last time I visited the UK, it was winter and it was getting warm. There are a lot of disasters going on in our country, especially where I live in the Philippines. I'm actually worried, but at the same time, what are we trying to do?"

Kim: "Hell yeah."

Larry: "No."

Accra, Ghana

Nancy: "I'm worried about climate change because the climate affects our living conditions here. Currently, the weather is very hot and it's making life very unbearable for us."

Shadrach: "Yes, because it affects every aspect of life."

Joyceline: "Definitely. Being an African and a Ghanaian in particular, yes, I'm worried about climate change. Any change in climate has bad effects on us."

Ernest: "Yes, I would say I'm worried a little bit because as it stands now, the weather keeps changing time and time again."

Felix: "Yes, I'm worried about climate change. The developed countries are destroying the climate, and Africans are suffering."

Ansah: "Yes, in a way. We've been seeing on the news how it's affecting our environment. I believe it’s a threat to our nation and the world as a whole."

Evans: "Yes. We can all see and testify to the fact that the environment itself has changed."

Godwin: "Very worried. Recent disasters tell us that very soon the world will be in crisis. The world's population is growing, so climate change can lead to food insecurity."

Ruth: "Climate change should be something we should all be worried about. Looking at the free, clean air we have now… We don't want to get to a point where we struggle to even get that."

Samuel: "I'm worried to some extent. Look at the changes in our weather conditions, our environment, and the unpredictability of everything. I’m very worried, especially these days."

Ebenezer: "Climate change is something that we all should be worried about. In Ghana, you start seeing the effects. Everyone and everything, whether we like it or not, is impacted by climate change. We’re seeing temperatures and sea levels rise beyond normal. It’s a global phenomenon, and we should all be concerned."

John: "I'm very worried about climate change. Everything that comes with it is a threat to the survival of humanity. I'm therefore very worried."

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Erleyvaldo: "Yes, because in Brazil, it’s a big challenge."

Eduardo: "Yes, for sure. It’s very important."

Tarcio: "It’s always worrying, isn’t it? The problem is that climate change impacts the entire planet."

Victoria: "A lot, especially here in Brazil with deforestation occurring in the Amazon."

Brenno: "Yes, we are very concerned. I think Brazil has been contributing more and more, introducing recyclable waste initiatives, and that helps a lot. It’s important to keep moving in that direction because global warming could cause significant harm."

Maria Clara: "Yes, a lot, especially here in Rio. I often think about how we’re going to live in the future because temperatures here in Brazil just keep increasing, and we really suffer from this heat. And in the rest of the world, there are climate imbalances in various places."

Silvia: "We are very concerned about environmental and climate changes. What we can do today is encourage recycling and avoid consuming meat. We also contribute by not owning a car."

Artur: "I think there's a lot of politics involved. It's sad, but that’s Brazil."

Mayara: "Yes. We do what we can to preserve nature. But I see that most people in our country don’t."

Anderson: "Of course, yes. I have a lot of siblings, including a little sister. I see that in the future the air will be even worse than it is now. There’s no basic sanitation in the favela, and it’s only going to get worse. It will be worse for them than for me."

Maria: "Very worried. Grandchildren will come, and we don’t know what the future will be like."

Tokyo, Japan

Interviewee 1: "It looks like it's going to affect a lot. So yeah, a little bit."

Interviewee 2: "Yes."

Interviewee 3: "I’d say moderately. I have some concerns."

Interviewee 4: "Definitely. I think it’s one of the biggest issues we’re facing at the moment. There hasn’t really been enough action taken in any capacity. I think a lot of the blame has been shifted onto individuals. But in reality, it’s really a bunch of companies that are responsible for most of the emissions. They need to be held accountable for us to have any chance, any progress."

Interviewee 5: "I’m worried about climate change. I think not enough people are worried about it and that’s the biggest issue right now. There’s more education around it now, and we’re seeing the effects more. But it doesn’t feel like the panic is increasing and that’s concerning."

Interviewee 6: "I’m personally quite worried about it. But what worries me the most is that we’re still having debates over whether climate change exists rather than focusing on what to do about it. That's really where the discussion currently sits. And there's obviously a lot of nuance there. But what worries me, I think, is the indication of larger problems, and the fact we're still discussing whether it exists or not in certain places."

Interviewee 7: "Absolutely, yes. It’s one of the biggest threats to humanity today, among a myriad of other things."

Interviewee 8: "Yes. Climate change is very worrying."

Interviewee 9: "Yeah, I think it’s a problem."

Interviewee 10:  "Yeah, I think we haven’t got much time left, so we need to work on it."

A Global South World video series

This video is part of Global South World’s series exploring global opinions on pressing issues.

You can share your thoughts on our Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube or X posts.

In previous videos, we asked:

Is the US a friendly power?

Are you scared of AI?

Is capitalism working?

Should smoking be banned?

Is Elon Musk a visionary or a threat?

Stay tuned for more perspectives.