This report describes public adoption of behaviors to reduce the carbon emissions that cause climate change, and the reasons why people might have difficulty adopting those behaviors (i.e., “barriers”). We surveyed Facebook users in 37 countries and territories that are classified as “high-emissions” based on both their above-average CO2 emission levels and higher per capita income. The survey was developed by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, Data for Good at Meta, and Rare’s Center for Behavior & the Environment, and was fielded by Meta from August 3 – September 3, 2023.
Overall, the repeated low-cost behaviors (such as reducing food waste and meat consumption) are much more common than behaviors that need only be performed once but have a large initial cost (such as converting to heat pumps and purchasing electric vehicles). Respondents who have not done the lower-cost behaviors are more likely to say they have not done so due to lack of awareness or not having thought about the behavior. Respondents who have not done the higher-cost behaviors are more likely to say that the behaviors are too expensive or do not meet their household needs. However, many respondents who have done these behaviors say they faced minimal difficulty in doing so.
Among the key findings by type of behavior:
Reducing Food Waste
- 66% of respondents overall said they had tried to reduce their food waste in the prior month, including majorities (more than 50%) in 36 out of 37 surveyed countries and territories.
- Across nearly all countries and territories, most respondents who said they had reduced food waste in the prior month said they did not face any difficulties doing so.
- Among those who said they had not tried to reduce food waste in the prior month, the most common barriers were that they had never thought about trying to reduce their food waste, did not know how, or were not interested in doing it.
Reducing Meat Consumption
- 39% of respondents overall said they had tried to eat less meat in the prior month, including majorities of respondents in 3 out of 37 surveyed countries and territories.
- Among respondents who said they had tried to reduce their meat consumption in the prior month, majorities in most countries and territories (24 out of 37) said they did not have any difficulties doing so. When respondents did name difficulties, they were most likely to say that they had concerns about their health, that it was expensive, or that they liked eating meat.
- Among those who said they had not tried to reduce their meat consumption in the prior month, the most common barriers were that they like eating meat, were not interested in doing it, or had never thought about eating less meat.
Buying Carbon Offsets
- 16% of respondents said they had ever bought carbon offsets, which fund projects that reduce carbon (such as planting trees). No country or territory had a majority of respondents who said they had ever bought carbon offsets. Among respondents who said they had ever bought carbon offsets, majorities in 22 out of 37 countries and territories said they did not have any difficulties doing so. When respondents did name difficulties, they were most likely to say that they did not know which offsets were credible, that they did not know how to buy carbon offsets, or that it was expensive.
- Among those who said they had never bought carbon offsets, the most common barriers were that they had never heard of carbon offsets, were not interested, or had never thought about buying carbon offsets.
Installing a Household Heat Pump
- 12% of respondents said they had converted their household heating and cooling to a heat pump (a device that uses electricity more efficiently to heat and cool homes by transferring heat from one place to another). No country or territory had a majority of respondents who said they had converted their household heating and cooling to a heat pump.
- Among respondents who said they had converted their household heating and cooling to a heat pump, majorities in 20 out of 37 countries and territories said they did not have any difficulties doing so. When respondents did name difficulties, they were most likely to say that it is expensive, that they did not know how to convert to a heat pump, or that it is cold where they live.
- Among those who said they had not converted their household heating and cooling to a heat pump, the most common barriers were that they do not own their home, or that it is too expensive. Many respondents also said that their home is not suitable, or that they have never heard of heat pumps.
Installing Rooftop Solar Panels
- 9% of respondents said they had converted their household electricity to come from rooftop solar panels. No country or territory had a majority of respondents who said they had converted their household electricity to come from rooftop solar panels.
- Among respondents who said they had converted their household electricity to come from rooftop solar panels, majorities in 21 out of 37 surveyed countries and territories said they did not have any difficulties doing so. When respondents did name difficulties, they were most likely to say that it was expensive, that they did not know how to convert to rooftop solar panels, or that it took a lot of time.
- Among those who said they had not converted their electricity to come from rooftop solar panels, the most common barriers were that it is too expensive, that they do not own their home, or that their home is not suitable.
Buying or Leasing an Electric Vehicle
- 7% of respondents said they have owned or leased an electric car or truck. No country or territory had a majority of respondents who said they had done so.
- Among respondents who said they had owned or leased an electric car or truck, majorities in 11 out of 37 surveyed countries and territories said they did not have any difficulties doing so. When respondents did name difficulties, they were most likely to say that it was expensive, that they were not interested, or that they thought electric cars or trucks could not travel far enough without having to recharge.
- Among those who said they had not owned or leased an electric car or truck, the most common barriers were that it is too expensive, that electric cars or trucks cannot travel far enough without having to recharge, or that they are not interested in doing so.