'Silent' global majority of 89% want strong action on climate

A huge 89% majority of the world's people want stronger action to fight the climate crisis but feel trapped in a self-fulfilling "spiral of silence" because they mistakenly believe they are in a minority, research suggests.

- Damian Carrington

Making people aware that their pro-climate view is by far the majority could unlock a social tipping point and push leaders into the climate action urgently needed, experts say.

The data comes from a survey of 130,000 people across 125 countries that found 89% thought their national government "should do more to fight global warming".

It also asked people if they would "contribute 1% of their household income every month to fight global warming" and what proportion of their fellow citizens they thought would do the same. In almost all countries, people believed only a minority of their fellow citizens would be willing to contribute. In reality, more than 50% of respondents were willing to contribute in all but a few nations. The global average of those willing to contribute was 69%. But the percentage that people thought would be willing was 43%.

Public backing for climate action was as strong among the G20 member countries as in the rest of the world. These states, including the US, China, Saudi Arabia, the UK and Australia, are responsible for 77% of global carbon emissions.