Seven in ten Scots expect the financial costs of climate impacts like Storm Eowyn to climb over the next decade, a new poll shows.
Huge majorities in a new YouGov poll in Scotland show people think the costs of home insurance (80 per cent) and food (84 per cent) will spike due to climate change during the next ten years. And it comes after the country was battered by hurricane-force winds in one of the worst storms of the century last month.
First Minister John Swinney has described Storm Eowyn as a “ferocious assault” on the country which leaves “the question of climate action absolutely unavoidable”. Nearly one in five Scots (17 per cent) said climate change had already affected their lives in the last year, while a quarter expect clean-up costs from extreme weather to soar.
Some 66 per cent are concerned about the impact on Scottish farmers and 55 per cent fear the effects on those on the lowest incomes. A total of 72 per cent of respondents to the poll for Uplift, which spoke to 1083 Scottish adults last month, said they expect the financial costs of dealing with climate impacts to rise over the decade.
Scottish Labour MSP Monica Lennon said: “The climate crisis is already damaging Scotland’s environment and economy, so it’s no wonder most Scots expect the financial impact to worsen. Bold government action taken now to tackle climate change will help Scots who are worried about the cost of protecting their homes and businesses.
“Climate inaction and politicians peddling misinformation about net zero policies pose a huge threat to people’s pockets and our public services.”
Claire Larkin, Director at Parents for the Future Scotland, added: “Climate change is not something that will happen in the future, it’s happening today. It now costs a fortune to feed your family, with one in 4 families in Scotland struggling to provide their children enough food.”
Among those who had been personally affected by climate change over the past year, 54 per cent cited the increased cost of food and 37 per cent had experienced effects on their mental health. Others noted lifestyle impacts on sports or holidays (31 per cent) and damage to homes (9 per cent).
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond – Sign up to our daily newsletter here.