• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, May 14, 2008

Two-thirds of consumers in key global markets think that when it comes to protecting the planet from climate change, companies and brands should be finding solutions. In fact, according to a massive study from Havas Media, consumers expect brands-not their governments-to find solutions.

The study, which is based on more than 11,000 interviews with consumers in Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Spain, the UK and the U.S. and touched on more than 200 brands, found that Americans are the least concerned about the issue. The report categorized respondents into three categories: Eco-absorbed, the 35% who are "very focused" on issues of climate change, the 43% who are eco-attentive, and the 22% who are eco-apathetic--they recognize the concept of climate change, but share none of the responsibility.

While respondents in the U.S. have the greatest understanding of climate change, they also have the lowest level of concern, with 34% falling into the "eco-apathetic" category-- roughly six times higher than the number of unconcerned shoppers in Brazil or Mexico. And Americans are the least likely to agree that solving climate change issues will require "changing the way we live our lives."

In terms of "eco-absorbed" respondents, the U.S. came in nearly last, with just 23% of respondents described as "very focused" on climate change issues. Only Germany (15%) and the U.K. (17%) had fewer activists.

While 79% of consumers overall say they would rather buy from companies that are actively striving to reduce their impact on the environment, Chinese and Brazilian consumers were most likely to feel that way, while consumers in the UK and U.S. were least likely to take that into account when making purchases. Similarly, consumers in developing markets believe they can "actively contribute to solving climate change," while consumers in developed countries are less likely to agree.

The report says the world "has given up on its elected leaders' abilities to combat the problem," with only 11% of all respondents agreeing that their governments are doing enough. And they're expecting brands to step up and do their part, instead. "All markets express a clear desire to see more ecologically responsible brands and believe multinationals can, and should, make a positive impact on the issue," the report says.

The survey also uncovered some wider inconsistencies between what shoppers in various markets say they believe and what they actually purchase. But it also found that with 80% of consumers "actively engaged" with the issues surrounding climate change, "consumer awareness of the damage done by particular companies and sectors is growing increasingly sophisticated. Companies that fail to act responsibly can no longer expect to hide behind generally positive perceptions of the sector in which they operate."

The report unearthed evidence of a trend it calls "sector stretch," with consumers increasingly able to differentiate corporate behavior within sectors, for example, identifying some fuel and energy companies as more responsible than others. "This is great news for brands that communicate legitimate abatement strategies and less good for those who have not yet made a start on mending their ways," the report says, "as their ability to borrow credibility from more proactive peers slips away."