MEN have been outed as Australia's climate change laggards while women are taking the lead.

A survey conducted for the Australia Institute found women are doing more to tackle climate change, and plan to do more in the future, than men.

The most popular climate-friendly actions are installing energy-efficient light globes, spending less time in the shower and turning off appliances at the switch.

The online poll of 1000 people, who the left-leaning institute said were representative of the general population, found about 80 per cent believed climate change was occurring and Australia needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

But people weren't keen to pay the price themselves.

Most thought business and industry should carry most of the cost burden for action on climate change, while just six per cent thought individuals and households should bear the heaviest load.

Respondents wanted the Government to rely on the advice of climate scientists - not business chiefs - when setting targets to reduce emissions.

Fewer than one per cent of people thought the Government should pay most attention to the business community's wishes in setting targets.

Australia's target is to cut emissions by 5 to 25 per cent by 2020.

The survey results, based on questions asked in January, are contained in the institute's paper Zero-sum game?, by Josh Fear and Richard Denniss.

Source: AAP August 12, 2009 02:04pm