Climate change is the crisis facing our generation. With COP26 making global headlines and encouraging commitments - now is undoubtedly the time to make changes.
The science is clear – changes need to be made, by everyone, to achieve net zero emissions and avoid the worsening effects of climate change.
In their commitment to uncovering actionable insight and to get under the skin of behaviours that could lead to a positive change, Explain undertook their own research this summer with members of the public. The research explored behavioural traits in relation to climate change and net zero, uncovering insight into the level of understanding of government targets and responsibility for delivery whilst identifying barriers to change.
Background – why now?
Over recent months, awareness of the impact that climate change is having on the environment and the planet has become more prominent within people’s everyday lives. There is an increasing drive for members of the public to choose the sustainable option, reduce their carbon emissions, and achieve ‘net zero’.
The Government has set targets to achieve net zero by 2050, whilst the Scottish Government are aiming to achieve this by 2045. On the 19th of October 2021 the UK Government launched their net zero strategy: Build Back Greener and their Heat and Building Strategy – outlining how they will achieve these targets.
Contributing to the movement, Explain conducted their own piece of research. In this article they share the top 5 findings.
The full report can be accessed and downloaded via your Bdaily Premium Rescource Centre
What you need to know
Top 5 findings:
1. Behavioural traits
The general population are becoming more aware and conscious of the impact that their behaviours are having on the environment – respondents most strongly agreed to being committed to recycling (85%) and being cost conscious (83%). Agreement with being committed to recycling, cost conscious, environmentally conscious and an energy saver all increased compared to research Explain conducted in 2020.
2. Awareness
72% of respondents indicated that they were aware that the Government has set targets in relation to climate change, with 58% indicating that they had heard of the term ‘net zero’ before. Compared to the 2020 survey that Explain conducted there has been a 38% increase in awareness of the term ‘net zero’ – there was however a consensus that more could be done by the Government and that the public need a better understanding of the implications of net zero and the targets, and what they mean for them.
3. Behavioural changes
Respondents were asked about some of the behavioural changes that individuals could make to their lifestyle in order to achieve net zero. 48% of respondents indicated that they felt ‘informed’ or ‘very well informed’ about changes they could make to achieve net zero, with 25% indicating that they felt ‘not informed’ or ‘not at all informed’. This suggests that greater information sharing about how ‘net zero’ can be achieved is needed to increase awareness, and encourage in practice, lifestyle changes among the general public.
4. Lifestyle change and motivations
Respondents were asked how likely they were to make a series of lifestyle changes in the future to help achieve net zero. Respondents frequently indicated that they were ‘likely’ or ‘very likely’ to purchase an electric vehicle (59%) and reduce their use of single use plastic (55%). Those who indicated that they were ‘likely’ or ‘very likely’ to make any lifestyle changes, were asked their motivation for doing this. Common themes among responses included for future generations and to save the planet.
5. Barriers to change
Respondents were asked some of the barriers to make lifestyle changes that would help to achieve net zero targets. When asked unprompted what they felt the greatest barrier to lifestyle changes was, the common themes included cost and current living situation. The highest percentage of respondents ‘agreed’ and ‘strongly agreed’ that the cost of purchasing and installing new technologies (81%) and the cost of changing habits (61%) were barriers to achieving net zero.
