Engagement and concern
People in the UK are worried about climate change and loss of nature. The alarm bell has been heard, and people are seeing the effects of the changing climate. There is now a huge opportunity to engage people in what happens next. This section explores people’s climate concerns and how they want to engage in tackling climate change.
People are concerned about climate change. That concern is not going anywhere.
Brits know climate change is happening and the majority are concerned about it.
The last two years have brought huge challenges and worries around the cost of living. This has not lessened people’s concern about climate change and nature. In 2024, climate change and the environment is a top four issue when people are deciding how to vote.
In fact, very few people say they aren’t concerned at all about climate impacts.
Climate change is now not just a future concern. It is increasingly affecting people here and now in the UK.
There is concern about climate impacts close to home: floods and heatwaves.
One in four Brits feel climate change is harming their physical or mental health. A fifth feel that loss of nature and wildlife is harming them.
We asked participants ‘Which of the following impacts of climate change are you most worried about over the next 10 years?’ From a list of 15 options, respondents could select up to three. The top 5 most frequently cited climate impacts were:
- Harm nature and wildlife
- Cause my bills and other costs to rise
- Increase the risk of floods
- Have a negative impact on my children/grandchildren’s future
- Increase the risk of heatwaves
Only 13% chose ‘not worried about climate change affecting my life in the next 10 years’ when answering this question.
Our concern about loss of nature is strong. It is the climate impact people are most worried about in the coming years.
Concern about loss of nature has remained strong over the last two years.
And we are three times more motivated to tackle climate change if we feel connected to nature, which only 11% of people say they aren’t.
Many want to hear more about climate action, rather than climate impacts.
We know people are worried about climate change and nature loss.
We wanted to understand if this concern meant people wanted to engage more in the actions we need to take to address climate change.
We found an appetite to hear more about the things the government is doing on climate change – people want to hear more about action rather than impacts.
Salience of various types of climate information (Data: More in Common, January 2024)
Engaging in tackling climate change offers an opportunity for genuine connection - where we can, talk to real people, face to face, not anonymously online.
We asked participants about engagement activities they would be most and least likely to take part in. From a list of eight options, the top four activities that people said they would be most likely to take part in were activities taking place in local areas, closer to home and face-to-face:
- Talking about climate change with community groups at a local community centre as part of a government programme
- Talking to an environmental organisation/campaigner while I am out and about
- Regular, informal town meetings to discuss climate change in local areas
- Talking about climate change with an MP who knocks on my door
People felt they would be least likely to take part in online activities, with either government, MPs or environmental campaigners, that seem more anonymous and less personal.
Find out more on climate engagement and concern in Scotland and Wales.
Find out more on climate engagement and concern across the seven segments.
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