News/Results

As we launch the new All-Stars version, with our favourite lines from all 4 films so far, we thought we'd briefly recap our progress. 

The films have totted up over 10 million views in total across the full smorgasboard of social media, and been shared by Gary Lineker, Thom Yorke, Dawn French, Raine Allen, Laura Tobin and other people we respect, and who reach well beyond the climate bubble.

On top of that, they've been covered by the Independent, Sky News, The Scotsman, the Big Issue, the New Scientist, ITV's Good Morning Britain, Forbes, the New Statesman, the Conversation, CNN Online, Business Insider, Business Green, the Times, the Drum, LBC, the Observer, the New York Times - as well as a few podcasts and French radio, which is obviously the highlight!

A year ago, we couldn't get agents to return our calls, so we're on the right track.

More seriously, our research shows the films make 87.5% of viewers more likely to take climate action. This is the goal, but there's much more urgent work to do on that front. Watch this space in the year ahead!

News/Survey

CLIMATE SCIENCE TRANSLATED

Public and
Climate Scientist
Survey

Topline Summary

The aim of the survey is to compare perceptions and attitudes on the climate crisis between climate scientists and the public.

The survey was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Climate Science Breakthrough, whose aim is to help climate science cut through to millions more people and move them to action.

Key findings

• All climate scientists surveyed and three-quarters (75%) of the public don’t believe governments are doing enough to tackle the climate crisis.

• Almost all (98%) of climate scientists surveyed support the ban on new oil and gas developments.

• Climate scientists surveyed are significantly more pessimistic about the next 20 years than the public, with nearly 88% expressing pessimism compared to 39% of the public.

• A staggering 92% of climate scientists surveyed and 71% of the public are worried about their children’s future on the planet. 

• An overwhelming 82% of climate scientists surveyed feel their work is not adequately heard and acted upon.

• On an encouraging note, 92% of climate scientists surveyed and 61% of the public believe society possesses the knowledge and tools to address climate change effectively.

Details

(please refer to full Censuswide results)

1. 82% of climate scientists don’t feel their work is being listened to and acted on. 

2. 98% think that climate scientists and climate science should get more exposure in the media.

3. Full 100% of climate scientists don’t believe that governments are doing enough to tackle the climate crisis. Of this,

14% say “No, they are doing a lot but not enough”.
86% say “No, they are not doing enough at all”.
0% agreed “Yes, they are doing enough”.
75% of the general public are also critical of government action:
25% say “Yes they are doing enough to tackle the climate crisis”
43% say “No, they are doing a lot but not enough”
32% say “No, they are not doing enough at all”.
Which puts the total of general respondents who don’t think governments are doing enough at 75%.

4. When asked “Do you personally feel optimistic or pessimistic about the next 20 years?”:

88% of climate scientists expressed pessimism Including:
40% answering “somewhat pessimistic” and
48% “very pessimistic”
6% answered “somewhat optimistic”
0% answered “very optimistic”
(6% answered “neither”)

Climate scientists are significantly more pessimistic than the general public, which reveals a deeply concerning awareness gap, given scientists’ expert knowledge of the crisis.
39% of the general public expressed pessimism
31% said they feel “very optimistic” or “somewhat optimistic” about the next 20 years.
31% felt “neither optimistic nor pessimistic

5. 92% of climate scientists with kids said they were worried about the future of their children on the planet. The figure for the public is 71%*.


6. At a time when the UK government and others including the EU are watering down climate commitments, and licensing new fossil fuel developments, an unambiguous 98% of climate scientists declare they are “personally in favour of banning new oil and gas infrastructure and exploration”. 


7. 92% of climate scientists believe society has the knowledge and tools to tackle the climate crisis. Which is higher than the general public, of whom 61% agree, which is still relatively high.

This is a positive result, which indicates climate scientists do not suffer from “doomism” - they believe we can tackle the crisis if we get our collective act together (as opposed to 39% of the public who may be unaware of the range of solutions).

8. And finally, the public were asked if they could name a climate scientist.

92% said no.
8% said yes.

Within those 8%, however, less than 2% gave a correct answer, with Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough receiving the most incorrect nominations, followed by Chris Packham and Al Gore. The actual climate scientist with the most nominations was James Hansen, followed by Peter Kalmus, a NASA scientist.

At a time of impending global climate crisis, therefore, over 98% of the population cannot name a single climate scientist.

Notes

Scientist questions

1. Do you feel that the work of climate scientists is being listened to and acted on? 
2. Do you think that climate scientists and climate science get enough exposure in the media?
3. Do you believe governments are doing enough to tackle the climate crisis? 
4. Do you personally feel optimistic or pessimistic about the next 20 years?
5. If you have children, do you worry about their future on the planet?
6. Are you personally in favour of banning new oil and gas infrastructure and exploration? 
7. Do you believe society has the knowledge and tools to tackle the climate crisis? 

Public questions

1. Do you believe governments are doing enough to tackle the climate crisis? 
2. Do you personally feel optimistic or pessimistic about the next 20 years?
3. If you have children, do you worry about their future on the planet?
4. Do you believe society has the knowledge and tools to tackle the climate crisis? 
5. Can you name a climate scientist? If answered Yes, who? 

The research was conducted by Censuswide with a sample of 2,000 nationally representative respondents. Quotas were applied to nationally representative proportions for age, gender and region aged 16+. The survey fieldwork took place between 21.09.2023 - 25.09.2023. A second survey was conducted with a sample of 50 climate scientists with fieldwork taking place between 21.09.2023 – 13.10.2023. Censuswide abide by and employ members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles and are members of The British Polling Council.

* Questions about children: Survey results filtered to exclude non-parents (“N/A”), making sample size for this question: general respondents 1545, scientists 38.