About 89% of Indians in a Survey Say They’ve Experienced Climate Change, Want Government Action

The researchers say that while many Indians may not know much about global warming, they largely believe that climate is changing

A new report found that about 89% of Indians in a survey believe that global warming is happening and is a serious threat to India and support government actions on it. A nationally representative survey released in the United States by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and CVoter International led to this conclusion.

The report titled “Climate Change in the Indian Mind, Spring 2025,” which surveyed about 2,164 Indian adults, found that when given a short definition of global warming and how it affects weather patterns, 96% of people in India said the global warming is happening  and 78% say the Indian Government should be doing more to address global warming. The survey also found that the majority of people believe that global warming affects weather in their local area and monsoons in India either “a lot” or “some”.

“While many in India still do not know much about global warming, they overwhelmingly think the climate is changing and are worried about it,” said Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz of Yale University.

In 2024, India experienced the hottest year on record with temperatures over 1°C above normal in several Indian states. More than 450 heatwave deaths were officially reported, including government officials who died conducting elections in the world’s largest democracy.

According to the survey, a majority of people believed that vehicles that use petrol or diesel, electricity power plants that use coal and propane, and plastic pollution (which is not a major source of greenhouse gas emissions) causes global warming. Only 26% thought that raising animals for food causes global warming.

Survey Shows Indians in Favour of Government Actions

A majority of Indians in the survey also called for government actions and were in favour of climate and energy policies like the Indian government’s “Net Zero” commitment to reduce India’s carbon pollution to nearly zero by 2070, a national programme to train people for new jobs in the renewable energy industry such as wind and solar energy, and a national programme to fund women’s groups and Indigenous communities to protect the environment. About 84% favoured banning the construction of new coal power plants, closing existing ones, and replacing them with solar and wind energy, according to the report. 

The survey reported a high degree of vulnerability to climate-related impacts, with some experiencing not having access to clean drinking water and income not covering their basic needs.

The report cited that climate-induced migration is an emerging challenge, not just from rural  to urban areas, but also across states in India. India faces financial constraints and limited access to advanced technologies for scaling up climate action. About 30% of Indians said they have either already moved or considered moving because of weather-related disasters such as extreme heat, droughts, sea-level rise, flooding, or others.

“As extreme weather harms people across the country, Indians want to learn more about climate change, support government action, and are willing to get personally involved in reducing emissions and preparing for the impacts,” said Yashwant Deshmukh, founder and director of CVoter International.

About The Author

Editorial Team

A team of handpicked and dedicated writers committed to fact check each climate-related statement. Go to the roots and intent of each policy implemented, internationally and at home to help you understand climate better

See author's posts