Report · Jan 14, 2025
Climate Change in the British Mind
By Anthony Leiserowitz, Jennifer Carman, Emily Goddard, Marija Verner, Seth Rosenthal and Jennifer Marlon
Filed under: Beliefs & Attitudes, Climate Impacts and Audiences
2. Perceived Risks of Climate Change
2.1 Most people in the UK are worried about climate change.
A majority of people in the UK (80%) say they are at least “somewhat worried” about climate change. This includes 35% of people in the UK who say they are “very worried” about climate change.
2.2 A majority of people in the UK think climate change will harm them personally.
A majority of people in the UK understand that climate change will cause harm. Half or more people in the UK think climate change will cause either “a great deal” or “a moderate amount” of harm to future generations of people (85%). Fewer people in the UK, but still a majority, think climate change will harm them personally (56%), including 17% who think climate change will harm them “a great deal.”
2.3 A large majority of people in the UK say the issue of climate change is personally important.
More than eight in ten people in the UK (82%) say the issue of climate change is either “extremely” (22%), “very” (29%), or “somewhat” (30%) important to them personally. In contrast, only about one in five (18%) say climate change is either “not too” (13%) or “not at all” (5%) personally important.
2.4 A majority of people in the UK say they have personally experienced the effects of climate change.
A majority of people in the UK (62%) agree with the statement “I have personally experienced the effects of climate change,” including 14% who “strongly agree.” By contrast, 38% of people in the UK disagree with this statement.
