Saudi government outperforms private sector in supporting climate change solutions – Edelman

Ashraf AboArafe

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – December 2022 -Edelman, the global public relations firm, has released its annual special report on “Trust and Climate Change” to measure communities’ trust in companies, governments, the media and NGOs in response to the global challenges of climate change.

And 82% of Saudi respondents expressed confidence in their government to address issues related to public policies, including combating climate change. Agriculture, renewable energy and new technologies were ranked as the sectors most likely to do the job in combating climate concerns.

In addition to the above, 78% of the study participants said that the official authorities concerned with environmental affairs are the most trusted sources when it comes to talking about climate change solutions, and 63% of them said that there is not enough media coverage on this issue.

A global comparison revealed that 63% of Saudis believe that science and scientific evidence influence climate policy, while 52% of respondents from around the world said that politics rather than science drive climate policy.

More than two-thirds of Saudis agreed that companies, and governments, can only do so much to combat climate change. As for individuals, they must radically change their lifestyles.

The research also showed that 84% of Saudis – a difference of nine points from last year – feel that their current lifestyle is not environmentally friendly. This is due to the barriers and inconveniences associated with adopting sustainable lifestyles, such as the high cost of recyclable options, lack of knowledge on how to reduce one’s impact on the climate and insufficient media reporting on climate change solutions. And 50% of them expressed their fear that the transition to sustainable living will be at the expense of the usual pleasures of life.

Edelman has been releasing its annual Confidence Index report for more than twenty years, which identifies global trends and provides in-depth and individual analysis of each market. The report’s findings prove that companies’ ability to succeed or fail is determined by trust in their mission and leadership. The index not only highlights problems and challenges, but also identifies solutions. The ability to know and understand trust issues allows Edelman to provide better services to its clients through public relations and communication plans that are designed to ensure maximum impact on target segments of the audience.

Regarding the results of this special edition of the report, in which more than 14,000 individuals from 14 countries participated, Kenana Dahlan, head of the Edelman office in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, said: “The importance of the annual Edelman confidence index is not limited to an in-depth analysis of global markets, but rather to identifying problems It not only addresses the challenges, but also contributes to proposing solutions to provide better services to Edelman’s clients. She added, “The leadership of the Saudi government in the confidence and climate change index at the expense of the private sector embodies the size of the efforts made in the Kingdom to deal with the global challenges of climate change, among which emerged the launch of the Kingdom For the Saudi Green and Green Middle East initiatives, with the aim of reducing carbon emissions in the region as a whole by more than 10% of the total global contributions.

In its concluding note, the report reflected the aspirations of 80% of Saudis that current climate change solutions would improve the Kingdom’s global competitiveness. They said these solutions also boost their long-term health levels and the well-being of their children. More than 75% of those surveyed agreed that government climate initiatives have enhanced the developmental environment in the Kingdom in terms of energy, jobs and the energy field.

 * Edelman

Edelman is an independent global public relations firm that works with emerging and established organizations alike to develop, protect, promote and safeguard brands. Our global network of more than 6,000 employees across more than 60 offices includes brand promotion, branding, digital and advisory services using analytics, planning, innovation and media relations. Edelman has won a number of prestigious awards, including the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Public Relations, the 2018 Global Digital Company of the Year award according to the Holmes Report, the 2018 Companies to Watch award from Advertising Age, and the Best Place to Work award from Advertising Age. Glassdoor five times. Edelman has been a family business since its inception in 1952 and owns specialized companies such as the research firm Edelman Intelligence and the United Entertainment Group for entertainment, sports and lifestyle.

 * Edelman confidence index

Now in its 22nd year, the Edelman Trust Index report presents an annual global survey of more than 36,000 respondents from 28 countries. The report is published in January of each year. It covers a group of important societal indicators, including the business sector, media, government and NGOs, and contributes to enriching conversations and setting agendas for the coming year.