Brazilians are the ones who most believe in science worldwide

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The study conducted by the multinational 3M with 17,000 people from 17 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Oceania, shows that if there is a place where scientists’ credibility is high, it is Brazil.

Named the State of Science Index, the survey shows that 92% of Brazilian respondents trust science and 90% trust scientists, while the average in other countries is 86%.

There are no negative consequences for 87% of Brazilians interviewed when science and scientific production are valued. On the contrary: 71% of those polled said that there would be more public health crises if people could not trust the scientific news.

Another 59% said there would be more division in society, and 56% pointed to an increase in the severity of the effects of climate change.

“The data from Brazil in this edition of SOSI points out that 92% trust science, regardless of social class, age, gender, and prior technical knowledge, which surprised us positively. This shows us that Brazilians have realized that the work of scientists positively impacts our daily lives, and we hope to continue contributing to this perception,” says Paulo Gandolfi, director of 3M’s research and development department and responsible for the survey in Latin America.

In Brazil, 1,000 people over 18 participated in the survey conducted between September and December 2021.

“This is the sixth survey conducted globally by 3M and shows that the general population sees science and technology as drivers of quality of life for humanity,” says Paulo Gandolfi, director of research and development at 3M and responsible for the survey in Latin America.

Perhaps this is why 59% of Brazilian respondents want science to solve water quality and sanitation issues, while 56% want it to help with equal access to quality health care, 55% with air quality and hunger, and 52% against the effects of climate change.

Globally, however, the belief that science can help with climate issues is higher at 58%. On the other hand, the world is less believing (40%) in science’s help fighting hunger.

PRIORITIES

• For 69%, the priority is to find new ways to make renewable energy for homes, vehicles, etc. (e.g., converting waste into solar energy, plastic waste into fuel, etc.) (vs. 65% globally);
• Already 64% indicate developing new technologies that reduce carbon dioxide/greenhouse gas emissions;
• 63% think that the priority should be to convert rainwater and even fog into clean drinking water (vs. 49% globally).

MIGRATIONS

Another fact that draws attention in the 3M survey is the 91% of respondents in Brazil who say they are very concerned that they or a loved one will have to move due to climate change.

Science pointed out global warming as a key factor for disasters such as the floods that, last July, cost the lives of more than 170 Germans and about €2 billion (US$2.1 billion) for the reconstruction of the European country’s transport network.

“Climate catastrophes don’t choose an address. The difference is that first-world countries are more prepared to withstand the consequences,” says Gandolfi.

The balance of what happened in Germany compared to Brazil reinforces the reasoning. Adding the tragedies in Petrópolis (Rio de Janeiro), in the South of Bahia, and now in the Greater Recife (Pernambuco), in the first half of this year alone, there have already been more than 500 fatalities and more than 35,000 homeless.

“Not only can science help, but it has also already been doing so. For 26 years, the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] has been warning companies, governments, and society about global risks,” recalls physicist Paulo Artaxo, one of the coordinators of the Fapesp (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo) Global Climate Change Research Program.

“Now, society must demand public policies capable of responding to climate change and all sustainability issues that may influence humanity’s quality of life,” says the scientist.

Gandolfi, from 3M, reminds that the search for the reduction and neutralization of greenhouse gas emissions necessarily goes through science and not only from the point of view of studies and alerts.

“The search for energy, chemical, and material solutions that reduce greenhouse gases in the processes within these economy segments are all technology-based,” he says.

The executive cites the work of 3M itself as an example, which seeks solvents in its formulations that do not need to be recovered or eliminated from the production process.

The company is also working to eliminate greenhouse gas sources from its own operation, the so-called scope 1 of the Greenhouse Protocol, a tool for companies and governments to measure and control their emissions.

According to Paulo Gandolfi, Mexico and Colombia were included in this year’s global survey and presented concerns very close to those of the Brazilians – although Brazil is ahead of the countries in the region when it comes to environmental protection legislation.

“Although our National Recycling Program has not yet been very successful, there is a boost in state legislation, and it is also being replicated in several countries in the region,” says the executive. The 3M survey was conducted between September and December last year.

DIVERSITY

Brazilians value the theme of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion but recognize significant gaps that need to be addressed.

Nine out of ten respondents agree that increasing diversity and inclusion in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) is essential. However, 79% believe that underrepresented minorities often do not receive equal access to STEM education.

Equity in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics):

• 84% consider lack of access: lack of STEM classes offered in school, not enough STEM teachers, and lack of internet access (vs. 76% overall);
• 54% point to the inability to pay for quality STEM education (vs. 47% globally);
• 37% highlight prejudice against ethnic, racial, or gender minorities (vs. 33% globally).

Brazilians are more likely to identify representation gaps within the STEM workforce, being:

PRESS

When asked about their trust in scientific facts reported by traditional media (newspapers, magazines, radio, and television stations), 77% of respondents trust them. The percentage of those who believe in what they read on social media is 51% in Brazil, compared to 44% in other countries.

With information Valor Econômico