Receive our emails
Back

How attitudes to climate change are evolving

For the last two years, we've carried out our climate action survey to better understand the attitudes and actions across our region when it comes to sustainability.

Nearly 2,000 people completed the survey in 2021 - over double the number of responses we got in 2020. 72% of respondents were female, with a wide split across all age ranges. 

We assessed the actions that our respondents currently take related to sustainability, as well as how they intend to act in the future, by categorising sustainable actions into the following behaviours: 

  • Reduce water and food waste 
  • Recycle and choose products with recycled content, whenever possible. 
  • Switch to renewable energy and conserve energy 
  • Eat more fruits, vegetables, and plant-based foods
  • Purchase durable products, not disposable
  • Choose nature friendly products that protect habitats and biodiversity. 
 
The insights from the survey provide us with a better understanding of how we can drive change; showing which areas individuals are least likely to act upon, and where they aspire to do more. 
 
Insights in a nutshell: 
 
Almost half of respondents in 2021 stated that climate change and the future of our planet was a big concern for them, with 70% feeling that both environmental and social issues are of equal importance.
 
20% felt that environmental issues were the most important issues to address, which shows a 3% increase on last year's figures - this suggests that more of us are becoming concerned by the pressing need for action around climate change. 
 
48% of people feel that the pandemic has made them more aware of global issues, with 28% agreeing that the pandemic has made it harder to live a more sustainable lifestyle. 
 
When it comes to people's intentions, most respondents strongly intended to make positive change to protect our planet, with 66% strongly intending to cut their waste, 58% intending to choose more durable and reusable products, 57% to choose more circular and recyled products, 50% to be more nature friendly, 49% to be energy smart, and 47% strongly intending to eat more plant based foods.
 
Comparing this to the behaviours people are currently adopting, most people state that they are 'often' making sustainable actions (as opposed to 'always' or 'sometimes'). 
 
 

Values around sustainability

Thinking of climate change, which one of the following describes how you feel about it?

17% said it was the issue/one of the issues I am most concerned about, the same as in 2020.

47% stated that it was a big concern for me, compared to 44% in 2020.

15% stated it was a concern but I'm not doing much about it, the same as in 2020. 

17% said it is somewhat of a concern to me, compared to 18% in 2020.

4% said it was little or no concern, the same as in 2020.

0% said they don't believe in climate change, compared to 2% in 2020.

This shows that more people are now classing climate change as a big concern, and all respondents now believe in the impact climate change.

We also asked respondents some questions regarding how the pandemic has affected them:

1. Covid has made me more aware of global issues.

48% agreed, either somewhat or strongly, compared to 80% in 2020.

2. Given all that's going on in the world, I find myself just wanting to go back to basics. 

53% agreed, either somewhat or strongly, compared to 79% in 2020.

3. I feel the good life is further out of reach than it used to be. 

46% agreed, either somewhat or strongly, compared to 62% in 2020.

The data shows that our sentiment towards to the changes resulting from the pandemic have changed over time, with far less of us feeling that we want to go 'back to basics' than last year - but with more respondents feeling that the good life is within reach, this suggests that some of us have already achieved a more minimalist lifestyle post-pandemic.

Feelings around sustainability

This question provides great insight into the complex emotions that people are currently feeling about climate change.

Since 2020, our feelings around climate change have shifted away from positive feelings like hope and determination, and more towards negative feelings like sadness, anxiety and anger. 

This shows a real need for more action from larger organisations, as well as more empowerment within communities, to help turn climate anxiety into climate action.

 

Positive feelings:

13% said they were optimistic, hopeful - compared to 17% in 2020

11% said they were determined, motivated - compared to 16% in 2020

2% said they were confident, reassured, calm - compared to 3% in 2020

Negative feelings: 

25% said they were overwhelmed - compared to 28% in 2020

29% said they were sad, upset - compared to 17% in 2020

27% said they were anxious, scared, worried - compared to 15% in 2020

23% said they were angry, frustrated - compared to 12% in 2020

12% said they were resigned - compared to 11% in 2020

11% said they were tired, fatigued - compared to 9% in 2020

9% said they were guilty - the same as in 2020

8% said they were sceptical - compared to 7% in 2020

5% said they were bored, indifferent, not interested - compared to 4% in 2020

What people are already doing

How often do you currently behave this way to protect the planet, its people and resources?

Our survey reveals which sustainable behaviours are already in action, and which are less so. 

We asked respondents to say whether they Always, Often, Sometimes, Rarely or Never behave this way, in context of the following sustainable actions: 

  • Reduce water and food waste 
  • Recycle and choose products with recycled content, whenever possible 
  • Switch to renewable energy and conserve energy 
  • Eat more fruits, vegetables, and plant-based foods
  • Purchase durable products, not disposable
  • Choose nature friendly products that protect habitats and biodiversity

22% of our respondents stated that they Always adopt these sustainable behaviours, and 32% of our respondents stated that they Often adopt these sustainable behaviours. 

Out of the 6 sustainable behaviour categories, the following 'always' behave in this way: 

33% always reduce water and food waste, compared to 24% in 2020.

26% always recycle and choose products with recycled content, compared to 18% in 2020.

22% always use renewable energy and conserve energy, compared to 16% in 2020.

23% always eat fruits, vegetables, and plant-based food, compared to 16% in 2020.

22% always purchase durable products rather than disposable, compared to 14% in 2020.

19% always choose nature friendly products that protect habitats and biodiversity, compared to 11% in 2020.

This shows a marked shift since 2020, with more people always practicing climate-positive behaviours. This suggests that our increasing awareness and negative feelings around climate change are encouraging more active changes within our daily lives.

What people intend to do

How much do you intend to behave this way in the future to protect the planet, its people and resources?

We asked respondents to say whether they Strongly intend to do this, Occasionally intend to do this or Never intend to do this, in context of the following sustainable actions: 

  • Reduce water and food waste 
  • Recycle and choose products with recycled content, whenever possible 
  • Switch to renewable energy and conserve energy 
  • Eat more fruits, vegetables, and plant-based foods
  • Purchase durable products, not disposable 
  • Choose nature friendly products that protect habitats and biodiversity

 

Collectively, we can see that the majority of respondents strongly intend to adopt sustainable behaviours: 

54%  - Strongly intend to do this 

34%  - Occassionally intend to do this

11% - Never intend to do this 

 

Intentions reveal strong support for: 

66% Strongly intend to reduce water and food waste, compared to 78% in 2020

58% Strongly intend to purchase durable products, not disposables, compared to 69% in 2020

58% Strongly intend to recycle and choose products with recycled content, whenever possible, compared to 53% in 2020

49% Strongly intend to switch to renewable energy and conserve energy, compared to 59% in 2020

49% Strongly intend to choose nature friendly products that protect habitats and biodiversity, compared to 57% in 2020

47% Strongly intend to eat more fruits, vegetables, and plant-based food, compared to 53% in 2020

 

Where we see a reduction in strong support for certain behaviours when compared to the responses in 2020, this may be linked to the increase in the number of people who are already perfoming these behaviours in their everyday life.

 

Who should be responsible

When it comes to addressing the climate crisis, who do you feel should be responsible?

Respondents were given the following options: 

  • National governments

  • Larger companies and businesses

  • Smaller businesses

  • Local authorities/ cities

  • Individuals, through their everyday choices

  • Individuals, when organised collectively

  • Global organisations and institutions

  • Charities and NGOs

  • The media

  • Other, please specify 

Respondents demonstrated through their answers a theme of shared responsibility with key focus on: 

51% - National government, the same as in 2020

16% - Large companies and business, compared to 14% in 2020

12% - Individuals through their everyday choices, compared to 13% in 2020

10% - Global organisations, compared to 9% in 2020

 

This shows that our feelings towards who is mostly responsible for addressing the climate crisis are farily consistent over time - with the majority of respondents feeling that national governments hold the keys to combatting climate change.

Who can have the most impact

When it comes to addressing the climate crisis, which of the following do you believe can have the greatest positive impact?

Respondents were given the following options: 

  • National governments

  • Larger companies and businesses

  • Smaller businesses

  • Local authorities/ cities

  • Individuals, through their everyday choices

  • Individuals, when organised collectively

  • Global organisations and institutions

  • Charities and NGOs

  • The media

  • Other, please specify 

Respondents demonstrated through their answers a theme of shared responsibility, with key focus on: 

28% - National government, compared to 27% in 2020.

25% - Large companies and business, compared to 23% in 2020.

15% - Individuals through their everyday choices, compared to 19% in 2020.

12% - Global organisations, compared to 11% in 2020.