What’s going on here?

A global study has revealed that nearly nine in ten (89%) of us want our governments to take greater action on climate change.

The story is part of The 89 Percent Project, an initiative of the global journalism collaboration Covering Climate Now. The project spotlights the fact that the vast majority of people do care about climate action, even if it doesn’t always feel that way.

What does this mean?

Recently, it has seemed at times like the tide is turning against climate action. Media attention has homed in on the costs of decarbonisation and reaching net zero. In the US, key climate policies have been scrapped, and in the UK, the Guardian reported that Reform UK, after winning a local seat, vowed to block renewable energy projects entirely.

Yet, the voice of the people paints a different picture. The 89 Percent Project surveyed over 130,000 people in 125 countries worldwide, and found that the majority want more to be done, not less.

And according to the Climate Barometer, a UK think tank, 72% of the UK public supports new onshore wind and solar farms.

What’s more, this isn’t just passive support; the majority are willing to personally financially contribute. In fact, the 89 Percent Project has revealed that 69% of people globally are willing to donate 1% of their income to climate action, yet only 43% believe others would do the same.

This gap between perception and reality suggests a simple yet powerful solution: talk about it. Conversations at work, at the pub or over the garden fence can help us realise that we’re not alone. We are, in fact, the majority.

Why should we care?

While support for climate action varies by country, a clear majority in every country wants more to be done. Support for climate action was as strong in G20 member countries (China, US, Saudi Arabia, UK and Australia) as the rest of the world. As reported in the Guardian, this is encouraging as these members are responsible for 77% of global emissions.

One of the most powerful tools we have as humans is storytelling. Telling positive climate stories can help others understand that pro-climate views are not ‘fringe’ or ‘extreme’ but part of the mainstream.

The Silent Majority isn’t silent because it doesn’t care. It’s silent because it doesn’t realise it’s a majority. It’s time we start talking

Be Curious!

• Check out the #The89Percent
• Look at @Climateoutreach for tips on how to communicate about climate change
• Subscribe to the CoveringClimateNow newsletter to hear more climate stories on the 89 percent project

Featured image by Goran H via Pixabay