UN launches world's biggest survey of public opinion

Celebrities and youth activists met UN officials, governments and civil society Thursday to launch its Mission 1.5, a campaign that aims to bridge the gap between people and governments on ambitious climate action, reports BSS.
Mission 1.5 aims to give 20 million people around the world the opportunity to have their say on ways to limit climate change that they want to see adopted by government leaders, said a UNDP press release.
The campaign, led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), hopes to minimise the gaps between citizens and governments that has seen a groundswell of public opinion by citizens around the world, including school strikes and mass protests.
The campaign is built around an internet and mobile-based video game, developed by UNDP alongside experts in game development, climate science and public polling, in which players take on the role of climate policymakers and make decisions to try to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius.
After the game, players are asked to vote on key climate actions they want to see adopted. This data will be analysed and delivered to governments, who often lack access to reliable information on public opinion on climate action.
The previous biggest international survey of public opinion on climate change canvassed 10,000 people across 76 countries, and was conducted ahead of the 2015 Paris climate talks.
The Mission 1.5 game is available at www.mission1point5.org and can be played by people in every country in the world.
It will launch initially in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish, with further roll-out internationally throughout the year up to the UN climate talks to be held in the United Kingdom in November.
Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, said: "Together with partners from across the private and public sectors, we have the ability with this campaign to connect millions of people with their governments in an innovative two-way discussion on solutions to the climate crisis, and increase ambition ahead of the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow later this year".
Singer-Songwriter Yemi Alade said: "I am so excited to hear what climate action matters to people around the world-especially my fellow Nigerians! Mission 1.5 is going to connect people globally on something that can't be ignored anymore. The time to act is now!"
Cassie Flynn, UNDP Climate Change Advisor, said: "People often feel disconnected from the leaders that must make urgent decisions on the climate crisis.