b'Member News March 2021 21Working towards a sustainable planetThe IET Green Preferences SurveyClimate change is a significant and important long-term issue for our planet. We must all take responsibility to drastically reduce our impact on the climate through the actions we take. Although each of us can make a difference, we must also look for leadership from Government, industry, and all sections of society. Finding workable solutions for tackling climate change is, without a doubt, the most difficult and important engineering challenge of our time.To address the issue, we have published the Green Preferences Survey to better understand public attitudes and understanding towards green technology. Green technology is technology which helps to reverse the negative effects of human activity on our planet or reduce emissions. This survey is a fully demographic survey of 3,000 individuals in the UK, along with additional smaller sample size surveys across several key countries and regions, including China, the USA and Australia. Its based on research we commissioned, and was conducted by the independent market research agency, Opinium, in 2020.understanding of what those Our Green Preferences Surveychanges to personal behaviourBased on the results of the survey, we outlined seven key reveals the publics perceptionand living environments couldrecommendations: of personal carbon footprintbe, through an active take-upP ractical guidance regardingSupport technology and current green behaviours,of more passive actions, suchthe UKs climate changeinnovation in order to provide technologies in homes andas council-driven recycling.ambitions as well as puttingimprovements in efficiency how perceptions have shiftedHowever, pragmatic reasons,them into context withand drive down costs.since the start of the Covid-19such as cost and convenience,the urgency and scientific Think in the long term pandemic, and currentstill present significant barriersreality of climate change.it is essential that the attitudes and preferences forto increasing the uptake ofImprove installation supportlonger-term impact of any personal transport in the UK.green technology, whichand advice for the uptake ofnew technologies and The research showed that justfar outweigh environmentalgreen solutions. innovations are considered.over half of the populationconcerns as a driver for making Ensure excellent standards ofActively identify (57%) think that we can avoidactive change. Worryingly, oneprofessionalism to build andopportunities for incentivised the worst effects of climatein 10 of all respondents believemaintain public trust. Greenbehaviour change.change, but only by makingit is too late to avoid the worsttechnology must be reliable, effects of climate change andPromote a green post-radical changes to the way wetimely and prove its value in live. Additionally, there is anwe should not try to preventboth the short and long term. Covid-19 recovery.them (9%).The results of the survey aim to help find workable solutions for tackling climate change and inform the public about the societal challenges that lay ahead.To read the full survey and our recommendations, visit theiet.org/green-preferences-survey'