The Asahi Glass Foundation Announces the Results of the 32nd Annual “Questionnaire on Environmental Problems and the Survival of Humankind”

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Asahi Glass Foundation (Chairman: Takuya Shimamura) has conducted an annual survey with environmental experts from around the world since 1992. This year, we sent the questionnaire to 202 countries around the world, and received responses from 1,805 people in 130 countries. Below are the main points from this year’s questionnaire results. Further details are available in the report of the “32nd Annual Questionnaire on Environmental Problems and the Survival of Humankind,” or online at the Foundation’s web site (https://www.af-info.or.jp/en/), starting at 11 a.m. JST on September 6, 2023.

• The time on the Environmental Doomsday Clock has turned back for three consecutive years since 2021, striking 9:31 in 2023.
• Looking at the time on the Clock around the world, the Clock went back more than 10 minutes compared to last year in South America, Western Europe, and the Middle East; but it moved forward more than 20 minutes in Mexico, Central America & the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe & former Soviet Union.
• "Climate Change" has been the top environmental issue since 2011 that the respondents worldwide have had on their minds in determining the time on the Clock.
• With regard to transitioning to a decarbonized society, the results showed an equal lack of progress in “Policies and Legal System” and “Social Infrastructure (Funds, Human Resources, Technologies, and Facilities)” compared with “Public Awareness.”
• Regarding the world’s problems, “13. Climate Action” was the most selected as the goal that respondents are most concerned about, followed by “1. No Poverty,” and “16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.”