World concern about climate change has fallen in the past two years, according to an opinion poll done on the eve of 190-nation talks in Copenhagen meant to agree a U.N. deal to fight global warming.

A Nielsen/Oxford University poll of more than 27,000 web users found that only 37 percent of respondents in 54 countries are “very concerned” about climate change. That’s down from from 41 percent in a similar poll in 2007.

People in Latin America and the Asia Pacific region were most concerned, topped by the Philippines with 78 percent.

Eastern Europeans were least concerned, with just 10 percent of Estonians worrying about climate change.

In Australia, some 30 percent said they feel that concerns over global warming are overstated.

Jonathan Banks, Business Insights Director Europe of the Nielsen Co., told the New York Times that worries about climate change may now be picking up with the focus on Copenhagen.

“Economic woes temporarily knocked the climate change issue off the top line agenda, but as the recession is now beginning to recede, we expect the Copenhagen summit to push this important issue to the front again,” Banks is quoted as saying.