Wellington, Dec 18 (IANS): Some 80 per cent New Zealanders believe in the reality of climate change and its human cause, and are concerned about it, according to a new survey published on Monday.

Scientific evidence unequivocally shows that human activities cause climate change, but some people still deny it, Xinhua news agency quoted a research article published in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand as saying.

Even though climate change denial doesn't represent the beliefs of most Kiwis, the demographic and socio-psychological characteristics of climate change deniers are often overrepresented in powerful positions in society, which means their denial can be extremely consequential in delaying action, according to the research authors from the University of Waikato and the University of Auckland.

Of the people surveyed, those with the lowest levels of climate change beliefs and concern were more likely to be male, New Zealand European, parents, religious, and to endorse conservative and system-justifying ideologies, the article said.

On the other hand, those who have the highest levels of climate change beliefs and concerns tend to hold these beliefs and concerns stably over time, it said.