MARKHAM, Ontario—The results of this year's "Epson Global Climate Barometer" are in, and it captures the views of more than 30,000 people in 39 countries, attempting to better understand global responses to climate change. The survey reveals that while globally more people now cite climate change as a major global issue over any other, the issue that seems to be plaguing more than half of Canadian respondents most are the economic challenges facing the country, followed by climate change. 

The survey points out that evidence of catastrophic climate change is growing—with record-high sea temperatures; record low levels of Arctic and Antarctic sea ice; and extreme climate events across the world. With the approach of COP 28, a United Nations Climate Change Conference in the UAE, for this year’s Barometer, Epson specifically focused on the unique perspectives of those born since the first COP in 1995—the "Eco Generation"—exploring their experiences and needs as they act to tackle climate change.

Kendra Jones, chief legal and chief sustainability officer, Epson America, said, "The world is acknowledging that climate change is one of the biggest and most challenging issues of our lives. We must continue to work toward bringing about positive change and must focus our actions to mitigate this climate emergency. We believe technology is part of the answer, but the solutions need to be affordable and collaborative."

When asked what positive climate actions they already take, the Eco Generation records lower levels of action than the global average in nine of the 14 categories in the Barometer. While climate positive action is widespread, there are groups of respondents who state that they will never act across key areas.

Canadians are already taking the following top actions to mitigate the climate emergency:

● Improving recycling habits (74.7 percent).

● Use more reusable goods, such as reusable shopping bags (79.5 percent).

● Reduce plastic use (65.7 percent).

● Planning to switch to renewable energy (50.8 percent).

● Planning to switch to an electric vehicle (48.3 percent).


Barometer respondents see technology as the most important weapon in the fight against catastrophic climate change. When asked what they believed was the most important thing that a business could do to tackle the issue, almost half of Canadians (49.8 percent) cited investment in environmental technologies.

"As adverse impacts accelerate, now more than ever, we need to understand attitudes toward ongoing climate change. Epson is fully committed to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 through positive climate action—and to delivering solutions that enrich lives and build a better world," said Yasunori Ogawa, global president of Epson. 

"The Epson Global Climate Barometer gives us insights into how climate change transforms the ways we live—and how we can all combat it. We believe listening to the younger generation will help governments, communities and companies better align positive action to support those for whom climate change has been a lifelong reality," Ogawa said.

Epson, a global technology leader focused on solving societal issues through innovations in home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, visual and lifestyle, aims to become carbon negative and eliminate the use of exhaustible underground resources, such as oil and metal, by 2050. 

Its 2023 Global Climate Barometer surveyed 30,294 general respondents aged over 16 (weighted by age) across 39 markets. The survey was conducted by Censuswide, with the data collected between July 13-25, 2023.