AROUND nine in 10 Filipinos said they have experienced the impacts of climate change in the past three years, a new survey by Social Weather Stations (SWS) has found.

In particular, 87% of Filipinos who were 18 years of age or older reported having such an experience, with 19% claiming to have suffered severely as a result of climate change. 

Forty-three percent said they have experienced moderate impact, and 24% said they have experienced little impact.

Thirteen percent of the 1,200 respondents in the December 8–11, 2023, survey did not experience any impact of climate change, which is associated with stronger tropical cyclones and worsening droughts.

”The December 2023 percentage of those who have personally experienced the impacts of climate change fell by 7 points from October 2023 and 6 points from December 2022, but it was similar to March 2017 and March 2013,” SWS said.

”Compared to October 2023, those who experienced the severe impact of climate change fell by 4 points, while those who experienced the moderate impact similarly decreased by 4 points,” it added.

The poll also found that 88% believe that climate change is a danger to their physical health, 81% think that it is a danger to their mental health, and 87% feel negative emotions towards climate change impacts.

Fifty-seven percent think humanity could do something to stop or slow down climate change if they really tried, and 74% agree that they can do something to reduce climate risk.

The survey said 73% of Filipinos previously knew of climate change; however, only 39% personally participated in efforts to reduce climate risks.

SWS conducted face-to-face interviews for the survey, which had sampling error margins of ±2.8% for national percentages and ±5.7% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.