Awareness of climate change
was found to be quite high overall, although levels of
detailed knowledge, connection to specific issues and personal action varied
significantly between individuals.
Awareness was usually
directed by media coverage. As such, given the topicality of the
current summer weather, connection to climate change appears to be relatively
fresh/new. Indeed, it was relatively weak for many and needs to be cemented to allow
growth in conviction and behaviour.
This sample showed potential
for taking on more behaviours. Respondents recognised
areas where they could improve and could offer a contribution through their actions.
Perceived benefits, however, varied a lot by individual.
Specific motivations do
exist for this audience which are currently at quite a low levels
of consciousness, but are potentially powerful. Indeed, there were indications that
these could be mobilised to achieve a stronger call to action and sharper cut-through
across different audience segments. These motivations include:
- the importance of green-ness to ethics and right-
thinking (morality/being moral)
- preserving Wales specifically
- the potential for Wales to be ‘market leaders’
in green behaviour
Following on from this,
and taking into account other factors of importance for this
audience, important supporting and facilitating messages that will help drive personal
action include the following:
- Climate change and environmental damage poses
a real threat to Wales (in
our lifetime and our own children’s) so looking after the environment is a
critical aspect of Wales’ future
- Every little behaviour counts, both positive ones
(protecting, preserving)
and negative ones (damaging behaviours)
- If everyone contributes this can significantly
reduce the Welsh footprint (the
relative impact of collective activity)
- The desirability of a Welsh identity that is not
linked to ‘smallness’ or
‘deprivation’, but to ‘cleverness and wisdom’, that is to say ‘we see ahead,
and we will do what’s right … catch us up!’
