Climate change is no longer a fringe topic in Singapore. Based on an online survey done with HappyDot.sg in October 2024 with 1,034 Happydotters, it shows a clear picture of a population that is highly aware of climate change, broadly concerned about its impact, but still navigating what personal responsibility looks like in practice.

Climate Change Awareness Is Widespread

The data shows that climate change awareness in Singapore is near-universal. 95% of Happydotters have read or heard a bit or in detail about the topic “climate change.”
This indicates that climate change has firmly embedded in mainstream public discourse, rather than being a niche or specialised topic.

Individuals See Themselves as Part of the Climate Challenge, Guided by Moral Considerations

Happydotters do not perceive climate change as being driven solely by governments or corporations. When asked to estimate responsibility for climate change, 21.8% attribute more than 20% of the responsibility to individuals, indicating that a segment of respondents recognises a meaningful role for individual contribution.

In parallel, a clear majority of Happydotters express a sense of moral obligation toward climate action. 64.4% agree or strongly agree that they feel morally obliged to take action to fight climate change, suggesting that climate change is understood not only as an environmental issue, but also as one with ethical dimensions.

Uncertainty About Personal Impact Remains

Despite 96.6% of the Happydotters feel at least a little worried about the climate change, and 91.4% still perceive the impact of climate change as moderate to extreme threat, 14.9% still agree that there is no point in changing own behaviour would not make a meaningful difference in tackling climate change.

Moving the Conversation Forward

As climate change awareness continues to mature in Singapore, the challenge may no longer be about informing people that climate change exists. Instead, it lies in helping individuals reconcile concern with a sense of personal impact.

Understanding this mindset is critical for shaping future climate communication, public engagement efforts to resonate with how Singaporeans think and feel about climate change today.

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