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Attitudes to climate change (2020)

28 Sep 2020

It is reasonable to expect that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may have put public motivation to tackle climate change on the back burner.

However, research by Icaro has revealed that three-quarters of respondents continue to describe the climate emergency as ‘urgent’ or ‘pressing’, and agree that now is the time to invest in a green economic recovery from COVID-19.

• Almost half (46%) of UK citizens consider climate change to be an urgent priority that requires action immediately, with a further 28% considering it a pressing issue that needs addressing in the next 5-10 years.

• Two-thirds agreed that climate change is as big a problem for modern society as COVID-19, showing the magnitude of feeling towards tackling the issue.

• Nonetheless, UK citizens continue to perceive the impacts of climate change as in the future: 12% think it will have a “great deal” of impact on them personally compared to 52% who think it will have a great deal of impact on future generations.

• Almost three quarters (74%) think that there is agreement among scientists that human activity is causing climate change. By contrast, 13% think that scientists are divided, while the same proportion (13%) are not sure/don’t know.

Interestingly, we continue to observe an upward trend in the number of respondents who accept that there is agreement among scientists that human activity is causing climate change. As noted in previous years, individuals are more likely to accept that climate change is man made if they agree that this is the scientific consensus.

Methodological note

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from a survey by Icaro with 2,076 GB adults aged 18+. Fieldwork was undertaken online between 04th - 06th September 2020. The overall sample has been weighted to match the profile of the GB adult population in terms of age, gender, regional, social class and ethnicity.

For further details please contact Phil Downing at phil@icaro.uk.com

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