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A new survey of 18,245 people into public attitudes on climate adaptation across 6 continents finds that a majority believe that climate impacts will raise the cost of living over the coming years.
Geneva, 18th September 2026 — A majority of people across 18 countries, taken together, believe climate impacts will raise the cost of living over the coming years. This is the central finding of one of the most extensive surveys of adaptation attitudes undertaken to date. Respondents to the survey point to the urgency of ambitious action to adapt to climate impacts, irrespective of their age, gender or income.
People are concerned about the economic impacts of climate change, on a personal and national level. More than half (53 percent) expect climate change to raise their family’s cost of living and 45 percent believe it will disrupt their jobs. Asked what climate-related issues will affect their country over the next 5 years, 72% expect large impacts on both prices and the economy. In this regard,the poll surfaces an important paradox. Three in four (76 percent) are concerned about climate change, a majority in every country and above 90 percent in India and Kenya. Yet only an eighth (12 percent) list climate change among the three biggest issues facing their country. Our polling suggests that people are not ranking climate change below their economic worries; they are counting it among them.
The report, When climate hits home - public attitudes to adaptation across six continents, is published today by Morphosis and Vibe Fund with support from the Climate Opinion Research Exchange.
Dr Simon Zadek, Founder and Managing Partner of Morphosis and co-author:
“Citizens worldwide are demanding immediate, ambitious action on adaptation, understanding the risks climate impacts pose to the cost of living, their jobs and the state of the local and national economies on which they depend.”
Natalie Samarasinghe, Executive Director of Vibe Fund and co-author:
“Politicians take note: people worry that climate impacts will hit them financially. This is not a fringe or elite issue but a core voter concern. Adaptation is a way to address their fears and win support from voters across the political spectrum.”
Governments must act ambitiously on adaptation
The poll finds that people see adaptation as a complement, not a substitute, for emissions reductions. In every one of the 18 countries surveyed in this poll, more people say a focus on adaptation would make emissions cuts more ambitious rather than less: 53 percent against 31 percent globally.
Yet the poll also reveals that, although governments are held responsible for advancing adaptation, people believe they are falling short. Only 32 percent believe their government has a clear plan to adapt; majorities in 16 of 18 countries say it does not. Two-thirds (66 percent) want their government to do more to help the country adapt to climate change; just one in ten want it to do less.
Key Links
→ Read the report here
→ Explore the polling here
→ Access the full set of charts here
→ Download this press release here
About the Survey
Norstat interviewed 18,245 people online for Morphosis and Vibe Fund, with support from the Climate Opinion Research Exchange (Core), between 22 July and 10 August 2026: around 1,000 in each of the 18 countries. Data were weighted to be nationally representative within each country. Margin of error ± 3.1 points nationally, ± 0.73 merged.
About Morphosis
Morphosis is an adaptation solutions investment business for a severely climate- impacted world ‘beyond 1.5°C’. Our purpose is to deliver affordable transformative adaptation solutions to low and middle-income households by catalysing the adaptation economy through investment, policy engagement, research and advisory work. Morphosis orchestrates a network of private investors, market, policy and other stakeholders, and invests in a growing portfolio of adaptation solution businesses.
About Vibe Fund
Vibe Fund is a strategic re-grantor working to build a better political climate to advance action across national and global challenges. We prioritise work on just transitions – economic, environmental, political and social. We strive to make good policies politically resilient, championed by people from all walks of life, including the communities most affected by climate, energy and nature impacts.
About Core
Climate Opinion Research Exchange shares high-quality opinion research related to climate change and the energy transition. We believe in accurately measuring trends in opinion and sharing this information openly with the public, researchers, civil society and the media, so we can all better understand the social, community, policy and business dynamics influencing opinion around these issues.
Contacts
Jacob Warn, Morphosis: media@morphosis.solutions
Julia Vinogradov, Vibe Fund: connect@vibefnd.org
Dustin Gilbreath, CORE: dustin@climateopinion.org
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