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Publication - Research and analysis

Climate change - public engagement: survey results 2022

Published
17 November 2022
Directorate
Energy and Climate Change Directorate
Part of
Environment and climate change
ISBN
9781805251774

Results of a representative survey of the Scottish public, focused on attitudes and engagement with climate change. The results will act as a baseline for the Public Engagement Strategy for Climate Change.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

3. Participation

This section explores public participation in engaging in discussions surrounding climate change and their contribution to the creation of policies that promote the mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

3.1 Frequency of talking about climate change

Over a third of adults (36%) have spoken about climate change at least once a week in the past year. As Figure 10 below demonstrates, this includes 28% who say they spoke about climate once a week over the past twelve months and 8% who say they have done so most days. Only 9% say they never spoke about climate change.

Figure 10: In general, how often have you spoken to people about climate change in the past year?
Stacked bar chart showing how often the public tend to speak with others about climate change.

Unweighted base (1782), single response question

Looking at the data by age in Table 5, 25-34 year-olds are significantly more likely to say they have spoken about climate change frequently, with just under half (47%) of this group saying they have done so over the past year. The age group with the highest proportion of respondents who say they have never spoken about climate change are 55-64-year-olds, with around a tenth saying so (11%).

Table 5: Frequency have spoken about climate change in the past year – by age group (most days + once a week)
  Total 14-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
At least once a week 36% 40% 42% 47% 35% 33% 34% 29%
Never 9% 9% 10% 4% 9% 10% 11% 9%

Note: All statistically significant changes from the total are highlighted. Green highlights denote data significantly higher than total. Blue highlights denote data significantly lower than total.

There is also a difference between people with different levels of educational attainment. 44% of Scottish adults who are have been educated to bachelor's degree level or higher have spoken about climate change at least once a week, compared to 8% with no qualifications.

3.2 Scottish Government's climate change policy statements

When asked to which extent they would agree that they understand the Scottish Government's climate change policy, over two fifths of respondents (42%) agreed that they understand it (Figure 11). Over half of the Scottish public (51%) agree that they know how to access information about their government's climate change policy. Just over a quarter (27%) agreed they have the opportunity to influence their government's decisions about climate change, with over two fifths (42%) disagreeing.

Figure 11: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the Scottish Governments' climate change policy?
Stacked bar chart showing the extent to which the public agrees with various statements about Scottish Government climate change policy.

Base: Unweighted base (1782), single response question

Figure 12 demonstrates that younger age groups are more likely to agree with these statements than older cohorts. The 18-24 year-old and 25-34 year-old groups are significantly more likely to agree they understand the Scottish Government's climate change policy (52% and 50% respectively); know how to access information (60% and 56%); and have the opportunity to influence decisions the Scottish Government is making about climate change (40% and 33%).

Respondents in the most deprived areas are more likely to agree they have the opportunity to influence decisions the Scottish Government is making about climate change. A third of these respondents (33%) agree compared to just over a quarter (27%) of the total population. Conversely, those in the least deprived areas in Scotland are more likely to disagree they have the opportunity to influence, with over half disagreeing (52%) compared to just over two fifths of the total population (42%). It should be noted that less deprived areas have an older average age than the most deprived areas.

Figure 12: Extent of agreement with statements about the Scottish Government's climate change policy – by age group (strongly agree + somewhat agree)
Bar chart showing the extent to which the public agrees with various statements about Scottish Government climate change policy, broken down by age.

Base: Unweighted base (1782), single response question

Note: All statistically significant changes from the total are highlighted. Green highlights denote data significantly higher than total. Blue highlights denote data significantly lower than total.

3.3 Interest in getting involved in climate change initiatives

When asked about their interest in getting involved in activities to combat climate change, over half (56%) of the Scottish public said they would be interested. Figure 13 demonstrates that one fifth (20%) say they are uninterested in getting involved in anti-climate change activities. Those who live in the least deprived areas of Scotland are less likely to be interested in getting involved in activities to combat climate change (51% cf. 56%). It is important to note here that at this point in the survey, respondents had not been given any examples of what activities could be available.

Figure 13: In general, how interested would you be in getting involved in activities that combat climate change?
Stacked bar chart showing how interested the public are in getting involved in activities to combat climate change.

Base: Unweighted base (1782), single response question

Turning to specific climate change initiatives, COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference is the initiative which was most well-known. The majority (92%) of adults had heard of it or taken part (Figure 14). At least 58% of the Scottish public have not heard of the other climate change initiatives that were listed in the study.

Figure 14: Have you heard of, or taken part in, any of the following initiatives?
Stacked bar chart showing how engaged the public have been with various climate change initiatives, including COP26, Scotland's Climate Week, and Eco Schools.

Base: Unweighted base (1782), single response question

No more than one in ten respondents said they had participated in any of the initiatives listed, with the highest proportion of respondents saying they participated in Eco Schools (9%), followed by 7% participating in Scotland's Climate Week.

  • At least a fifth of Scottish adults said they'd like to get involved in Scotland's Climate Week (28%), Climate Action Hubs (26%), Climate Action Towns (25%) and Eco Schools (23%).
  • For each initiative, around a third of respondents have said they're unsure if they would want to get involved.
Figure 15: How interested would you be in getting involved in any of the following initiatives?
Stacked bar chart showing how interested the public are in getting involved various climate change initiatives, including COP26, Scotland's Climate Week, and Eco Schools.

Base: Unweighted base (1782), single response question

  • Younger cohorts are more likely to want to get involved, with 18-24-year-olds and 25-34-year-olds significantly more likely to state their interest in getting involved in initiatives to combat climate change.
  • Over a third of 18-24-year-olds want to get involved in Scotland's Climate Week (42%), Eco Schools (36%), and Climate Action Towns (35%).
  • 25-34-year-olds are more likely to want to get involved in all of the initiatives listed.
  • 35-44-year-olds are also more likely to say they want to get involved too, with at least three tenths saying they would like to get involved in Climate Action Towns (30%), Eco Schools (32%), and Scotland's Climate Week (35%).
  • Almost half of 14-17-year-olds (49%) would like to get involved in Eco Schools.
  • Those who live in the most deprived areas of Scotland are more likely to want to get involved in Climate Action Hubs and Climate Action Towns than the general population (31% cf. 26% and 29% cf. 25% respectively). They are more likely to want to get involved in all initiatives aside from Scotland's Climate Week.
Table 6: Interest in getting involved in climate change initiatives – by age group
  Total 14-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Scotland's Climate Week 28% 42% 42% 45% 35% 24% 15% 14%
Climate Action Hubs 26% 30% 32% 37% 31% 24% 21% 16%
Climate Action Towns 25% 32% 35% 34% 30% 23% 19% 13%
Eco Schools 23% 49% 36% 38% 32% 18% 13% 6%
Eco-Congregations Scotland 15% 18% 28% 24% 19% 10% 6% 8%

Note: All statistically significant changes from the total are highlighted. Green highlights denote data significantly higher than total. Blue highlights denote data significantly lower than total.

Contact

Email: ClimateChangeEngagement@gov.scot

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