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Generational differences in climate-related beliefs, risk perceptions and emotions in the UK

Wouter Poortinga Orcid Logo, Christina Demski Orcid Logo, Kat Steentjes Orcid Logo

Communications Earth & Environment, Volume: 4, Start page: 229

Swansea University Author: Kat Steentjes Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1038/s43247-023-00870-x

Abstract

It is widely believed that younger generations are more engaged with climate change than older generations. However, evidence of a gap in climate-related perceptions and concern is mixed, likely due to the inconsistent use of outcome variables. Here we systematically examine generational differences...

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Published in: Communications Earth & Environment
ISSN: 2662-4435
Published: Springer Nature 2023
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa70294
Abstract: It is widely believed that younger generations are more engaged with climate change than older generations. However, evidence of a gap in climate-related perceptions and concern is mixed, likely due to the inconsistent use of outcome variables. Here we systematically examine generational differences across different types of climate engagement including cognitive and affective dimensions. Using data from three nationally-representative surveys conducted in the UK in 2020, 2021 and 2022, we show there is an overall pattern of higher levels of climate-related beliefs, risks perceptions and emotions among younger generation groups. However, the gap is larger and more consistent for climate-related emotions than for climate-related beliefs. While generational differences in climate-related emotions were found across all years, the overall gap has disappeared due to narrowing climate-related beliefs and risk perceptions. The generational differences are therefore mainly in emotional engagement rather than in beliefs about anthropogenic climate change.
College: Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
Funders: We acknowledge support from the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) through the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST), Grant Ref: ES/S012257/1.
Start Page: 229

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