As COP30 closes, climate, conflict and poverty dominate public concern

As COP30 enters its final days in Brazil — the first COP in the Amazon region and marking the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement — the world’s attention is on climate action. But public priorities extend beyond climate alone. Trellis data partner GlobeScan’s latest research reveals that climate change, war/conflict and extreme poverty dominate global concerns, ranking highest in both perceived seriousness and importance to address.

War and conflict tops the list for seriousness (68 percent), while climate change and extreme poverty are tied for first place in importance (41 percent). These crises are deeply interconnected; climate change drives resource scarcity and displacement, hitting the poorest the hardest and fueling instability. Poverty and inequality create conditions for conflict, while war undermines efforts to build climate resilience and economic security.

Other issues, such as corruption, water pollution and hunger also rank high on perceived seriousness but fall behind on importance compared to the top three. This underscores the unique urgency of climate, poverty and conflict as a combined global challenge.

What this means

As COP30 concludes, expectations for bold climate commitments are high, but progress may be constrained by competing priorities and geopolitical tensions. These interconnected crises make negotiations harder, as countries balance climate ambition with urgent social and security concerns. Public opinion signals that ambition cannot be siloed. Integrated strategies that address climate, poverty and conflict together will be critical to achieving global aspirations moving forward.

Based on a survey of more than 31,000 people in more than 30 countries conducted July-August 2025.