CONSUMERS in Asia-Pacific (Apac) are ready to make sustainable choices, reflecting opportunities for sustainable products and system-level solutions, according to Deloitte’s analysis.

In the biannual survey on consumers across 23 geographies, Deloitte uses its global sustainability actions index to analyse factors that drive their sustainability engagement in consumption choices, political and civic actions, as well as attitudes towards work.

The results released on Monday (Sep 11) showed that Apac consumers have higher levels of motivation, willingness, and eco-consciousness to engage in sustainability, compared to the global average.

Specifically, among the surveyed respondents in the region, 52 per cent have changed their purchasing behaviours to respond to climate concerns, and 49 per cent express support for new regulations aimed at climate protection.

This showed that the consumers are ready to pay more for sustainable products and system-level solutions to help repair climate damage and respond to the current climate crisis, said Deloitte.

However, the region still lags global averages on driving large-scale solutions through financial markets, as well as in reducing structural barriers to enable greener choices for consumers.

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The strong support for sustainable practices thus revealed opportunities for governments and the private sector to enable the consumers to put their eco-friendly values into practice, Deloitte added.

To reduce the structural difficulties to more sustainable choices, Deloitte highlighted that both the public and private sectors should work together to normalise affordable green products, provide low-emission energy options, and make recycling waste easier.

On action recommendations, Deloitte suggested that the private sector in Apac provide reasonably priced green products and services, as well as increase investments in climate change technologies.

The governments, at the same time, should bridge the gap between sustainability intentions and action demand via policy and regulatory responses.

Deloitte also emphasised the importance for the public sector to develop sustainable finance and carbon markets to drive the transitions.

As the individuals in the region witness a series of climate-related disasters, climate change has become a lived experience for them – 64 per cent of the respondents in Apac strongly believe that climate change is an emergency.

The worsening environmental events could also reduce the region’s growth, amounting to US$96 trillion lost in gross domestic product by 2070, according to the Deloitte Economics Institute’s analysis.

“Businesses and governments play a crucial role in establishing the necessary norms, incentives, and penalties to facilitate this transformation,” said Nicola Weir, internal climate and sustainability leader of Deloitte Apac.

“Achieving this change requires a collaborative effort involving companies, civil society, governments, and policymakers, approaching solutions from a holistic systems perspective,” Weir added.