There is near-universal global public support for climate action, yet people systematically underestimate the commitment of their peers, according to a new study.
The research, published in Nature Climate Change, is based on a globally-representative sample of nearly 130,000 people in 125 countries.
It finds that 86% of people “support pro-climate social norms” and 89% would like their governments to do more to tackle warming. Moreover, 69% say they would be willing to contribute 1% of their income to addressing climate change.
Yet respondents also “systematically underestimate the willingness of their fellow citizens to act”, according to the paper, creating a potentially challenging “perception gap”.
This perception gap can leave us feeling hopeless and discouraged, but the reality is that the vast majority of people are on board with climate action. “This means that we can move the debate forward and focus on how we can best tap into this broad willingness to contribute [and] to best tackle the challenges posed by climate change,” said the study's authors.
As quoted by Katharine Hayhoe's "Talking Climate Newsletter"
