WPO Fall 2009 Climate Change Questionnaire
(Field Version August 2009)
INSTRUCTIONS TO INTERVIEWERS AND SUPERVISORS:
Instructions to interviewers appear in bold type within brackets, e.g. [Read and code one]
Response options appearing under [Accept as Volunteer - DO NOT READ] should not be offered to
the respondent, but should be accepted if volunteered.
Please read all questions in the order in which they appear, unless instructions indicate otherwise.
Translator/Interviewer instructions;
 Where [Country] or [Country’s] is noted, please insert name of your country, e.g. Azerbaijan.
 On Question 8, use gas or petrol as appropriate for your country.
Q - indicates survey question
D - indicates demographic question
Field Registration Information – To be filled in by INTERVIEWER.
**Please include interview date in the format specified—it is extremely important to have the date
for each interview and in the requested format.**
RI1
Interview Date (day/month/year, i.e. 17/08/2008)
Field Registration Information – To be filled or coded by Field Manager or under Field Manager
supervision:
RF1
RF2
RF3
RF4
RF5
RF6
Unique Respondent ID
Unique Interviewer ID
Unique Field Manager/Supervisor ID
Geographic stratum (Region)
State/province
Community name (name of city, town, or village)
Notes:
 For face-to-face interviews, please record the data of all the field registration information above
and then enter into the SPSS file.
 For variables RF4, RF5, and RF6, please code them as a number with a label instead of string
variables in the SPSS file.
[ASK ALL]
Q1: In your view, is global warming or climate change a very serious problem, somewhat serious, not
too serious, or not a problem?
[CODE ONE OPTION]
1 Very serious problem
2 Somewhat serious
3 Not too serious
4 Not a problem
[DO NOT READ – Volunteer answer only]
99 Don’t know/refused
[ASK ALL]
Q2: As you may know, when coal, [petrol/gasoline], or other fossil fuels are burned for energy, this
releases gases that stay in the atmosphere and trap heat, making the world hotter on average. If our
country does not do things differently in the future, do you think that the amount of greenhouse gases
that [country] produces will:
[READ AND CODE ONE OPTION]
01 Go up
02 Go down
03 Stay the same
[DO NOT READ – Volunteer answer only]
99 Don’t know/refused
[ASK ALL]
Q3: Do you agree strongly, agree somewhat, disagree somewhat or disagree strongly with the following
statement: Dealing with the problem of climate change should be given priority, even if it causes slower
economic growth and some loss of jobs.
[CODE ONE OPTION]
1 Agree strongly
2 Agree somewhat
3 Disagree somewhat
4 Disagree strongly
[DO NOT READ – Volunteer answer only]
99 Don’t know/refused
[ASK ALL]
Q4: If climate change is left unchecked worldwide, how much do you think climate change, will affect
each of the following in our country—[ALTERNATE REVERSE ORDER—ARO:] None at all, not
very much, some, or a lot?
[READ AND CODE ONE OPTION FOR EACH – ARO RESPONSES]
None at Not very Some
A lot
all
much
DO NOT READ
Volunteer
DK/Refused
Q3a. The types of food we produce
Q3b. The types of plants and
animals that can live here
Q3c. Rainfall and available water
resources
Q3d. The price of food and other
essential goods
Q3e. The likelihood of natural
disasters, like droughts or floods
Q3f. Our coastline
Q3g. People’s need to move their
homes to different locations
1
2
3
4
99
1
2
3
4
99
1
2
3
4
99
1
2
3
4
99
1
2
3
4
99
1
2
3
4
99
1
2
3
4
99
[ASK ALL]
Q5: Do you think that climate change will be:
1 More harmful to wealthy countries
2 More harmful to poor countries
3 About equally harmful to poor and wealthy countries
[DO NOT READ – Volunteer answer only]
[vol.]: Both will be affected, but in different ways
99 Don’t know/refused
[ASK ALL]
Q6: On the subject of climate change, is it your impression that among the scientists of the world:
1 Most scientists think the problem is urgent and enough is known to take action
2 Most think the problem is not urgent, and not enough is known yet to take action
3 Views are pretty evenly divided
[DO NOT READ – Volunteer answer only]
99 Don’t know/refused
[ASK ALL]
Q7: When do you think climate change will start to substantially harm people in [country]?
[READ AND CODE ONE OPTION]
1 People are being harmed now
2 In 10 years
3 In 25 years
4 In 50 years
5 In 100 years
6 Never
[DO NOT READ – Volunteer answer only]
99 Don’t know/refused
[ASK ALL]
Q8 : To deal with the problem of climate change, do you think your government is doing:
[READ AND CODE ONE OPTION]
1 Too much
2 Not enough
3 About the right amount
[DO NOT READ – Volunteer answer only]
99 Don’t know/refused
Q9: Do you think our country does or does not have a responsibility to take steps to deal with climate
change?
[READ AND CODE ONE OPTION]
1 Does have a responsibility
2 Does not have a responsibility
[DO NOT READ – Volunteer answer only]
99 Don’t know/refused
Q10: Do you think that if our country takes steps to deal with the problem of climate change, other
countries [in, developing countries add: in the region] would then be more willing to act, or do you think
it wouldn’t make much difference?
[READ AND CODE ONE OPTION]
1 Other countries would then be more willing to act
2 It wouldn’t make much difference
[DO NOT READ – Volunteer answer only]
99 Don’t know/refused
[ASK ALL]
Q11: As you may know, [country] and other countries from around the world will be meeting in
December in Copenhagen to develop a new agreement to take steps against climate change by limiting
greenhouse gas emissions. If the other countries come to an agreement, do you think [country] should or
should not be willing to commit to limiting its greenhouse gas emissions as part of such an agreement?
[CODE ONE OPTION]
1 Should be willing
2 Should not be willing
[DO NOT READ – Volunteer answer only]
99 Don’t know/refused
Q12: Imagine that at the meeting, the other countries do NOT come to a global agreement on taking
steps against climate change. If this happens, do you think our country would have a responsibility to
take steps against climate change, or would it not have a responsibility?
[ASK ALL]
Q13: Do you think it will be necessary or will not be necessary to increase the cost of energy, to
encourage individuals and businesses to conserve more or to use alternative forms of energy?
[CODE ONE OPTION]
1 Will be necessary
2 Will not be necessary
[DO NOT READ – Volunteer answer only]
99 Don’t know/refused
[ASK ALL]
Q14: Imagine that taking steps against climate change would increase costs to the average person for
energy and other products by [local currency amount] per month? Would you be willing or not willing
to pay this cost as part of taking steps against climate change?
[CODE ONE OPTION]
1 Would be willing
2 Would not be willing
[DO NOT READ – Volunteer answer only]
99 Don’t know/refused
[ASK ONLY THOSE WHO SAY “NO” (02) OR “DON’T KNOW” (99)]
Q14a: How about an increase of [local currency amount: 50% of amount in Q14] per [time interval]?
Would you be willing or not willing?
[CODE ONE OPTION]
1 Would be willing
2 Would not be willing
[DO NOT READ – Volunteer answer only]
99 Don’t know/refused
[ASK ALL]
Q15: Would you favor or oppose [country] taking each of the following steps to help deal with climate
change? [For each item, ask:] Would that be strongly or somewhat [favor/oppose]?
READ AND CODE ONE
OPTION FOR EACH
Favor
strongly
Favor
somewhat
oppose
somewhat
oppose
strongly
DO NOT
READ
DK/refused
a. Preserving or expanding forested
areas, even if this means less land
for agriculture or construction
b. Limiting the rate of constructing
coal-fired power plants, even if this
increases the cost of energy
c. Gradually increasing the
requirements for fuel efficiency in
automobiles, even if this raises the
cost of cars and bus fares
d. Gradually reducing government
subsidies that favor private
transportation, even if this raises its
cost
1
2
3
4
99
1
2
3
4
99
1
2
3
4
99
1
2
3
4
99
[ASK ALL]
Q16: Climate change will probably harm some countries more than others. For example, poor countries
with low lying coastal areas will likely have widespread flooding and will not have the resources needed
to assist their people. Do you think [country] should or should not contribute to international efforts to
help poor countries deal with these climate-induced changes?
[CODE ONE OPTION]
1 Should
2 Should not
[DO NOT READ – Volunteer answer only]
99 Don’t know/refused
Demographics
[Interviewer: On questions D2-D6, if respondent first replies “Don’t know” or “Refused” (99),
please probe again]
STATEMENT: Finally, I’d like to ask a few questions about you.
D1. Indicate gender of respondent. [DO NOT ASK, CODE ONE OPTION]
1 Male
2 Female
D2. Please tell me what is the highest level in school you have completed?
[Please ask education level as you would normally do in your country, providing a scale or range
of categories as necessary, and then recode as follows below]
1 (Illiterate)
2
3
4
5
6 (Bachelor’s degree or higher)
[Accept as Volunteer – Do Not Read]
99 Don’t know/Refused
D2a. [DO NOT ASK: Supervisor, please recode responses from D2 into the following categories]
1 - Illiterate (no formal education)
2 - Primary, basic, elementary school or less (6 years of formal education or less)
3 - Some high school, preparatory school, secondary school or equivalent (less than 12 years of
formal education or equivalent)
4 - Completed secondary education. This includes high school diploma; secondary, technical or
preparatory school certificate; or equivalent (11 to 13 years depending on educational system of country)
5 - Some college; Intermediate or Associates Degree (less than university degree Bachelors degree
or higher)
6 - A Bachelors degree, Doctorate, other advanced degree, or equivalent
[Accept as Volunteer – Do Not Read]
99 Don’t know/Refused
D5. Please tell me your age. ___ [Note: If respondent refuses, ask: “Please tell me about how old
you are?” before coding “Don’t know” (98) or “Refused” (99)]
[Volunteered – Do Not Read]
99 Don’t know/Refused
D5a. [DO NOT ASK: Supervisor, please recode responses from D5 into the following categories]
1 16 – 29
2 30 – 39
3 40 – 49
4 50 – 59
5 60 to highest
99 Don’t know
D6. Please tell me your total household income for 2008, before taxes.
[Note: Ask income level as you would normally would in your country by providing a scale or
range of categories and then recode as indicated below]
[Please provide at least 5 or 6 income categories. To the best of your knowledge, please indicate in
the value labels and which level of income comes closest to the median income in your country.]
D6a. [DO NOT ASK: Supervisor, please recode the responses from D6. into the following
categories]
1 - Very low
2 - Low
3 - Average/Median
4 - High
5 - Very high
[Volunteered – Do Not Read]
99 Don’t know/Refused
D8. About how many people live in the place the interview was conducted?
1 Less than 10,000 (rural)
2 10,000-100,000 (small town or city)
3 100,000-1,000,000 (large city or urban area)
4 Greater than 1,000,000 (Very large city or urban area)