BSA 28: Green concerns fade for Britons in grip of recession

• Only one in four British people willing to make financial sacrifices to protect the environment
• Increased scepticism about climate change with less that half of the population considering it a danger

The latest British Social Attitudes (BSA) report, launched today by the National Centre for Social Research, reveals a substantial decline in public concern for environmental issues and climate change.

The seminal study of the British public's attitudes and values, published annually for almost 30 years, pinpoints economic hardship and climate change scepticism as the key factors contributing to the decline in Britain's collective environmental conscience.

It finds people are increasingly reluctant to make personal financial sacrifices to protect the environment:
• Since 2000 the number of people prepared to pay higher prices to safeguard the environment has fallen, from 43 to 26 per cent. So too has the proportion willing to pay much higher taxes to protect the environment, from 31 to 22 per cent.
• Support has fallen among all income groups. Just over a third (36 per cent) of those in the highest earning households (in 2010 defined as those with household income of over £44,000) would be willing to pay higher prices to protect the environment, down from 52 per cent in 2000. 

The report also finds that people are more sceptical about the credibility of scientific research on global warming:
• Under half the population (43 per cent) currently considers rising temperatures caused by climate change to be very dangerous for the environment, down from 50 per cent in 2000.
• The least likely to see climate change as dangerous were older people (28 per cent), those with no qualifications (28 per cent) and those on the lowest incomes (37 per cent).
• Over a third (37 per cent) think many claims about environmental threats are exaggerated, up from 24 per cent in 2000.

Although there are some signs of people resisting the green agenda, certain environmentally friendly behaviours are becoming mainstream:
• Recycling appears to have become a social norm, with 86 per cent of people saying they 'always' or 'often' make the effort to recycle. Furthermore, 39 per cent strive to reduce their home energy use and 32 per cent choose to save or reuse water.
• Other green behaviours demanding more of a lifestyle change, such as cutting personal car use, have yet to translate into popular action. Just one in five (19 per cent) have cut back on driving.
• Over half (52 per cent) of people who think climate change is dangerous for the environment make an effort to reduce their energy use at home, double the rate (21 per cent) found among those who do not think climate change is dangerous. 

Alison Park, lead editor of the report at NatCen Social Research, comments: "Climate change doubts and Britain's recent economic difficulties have combined to downgrade people's environmental concerns. Appetite for protecting the environment declines further where it involves lifestyle change and personal cost. If government wants to do more to promote green behaviour it needs to tackle scepticism about the causes of climate change and convince people that it represents a real threat."

ENDS

The latest British Social Attitudes report is freely available at www.natcen.ac.uk/BSA28

For more information, contact Craig Elder xxx

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. British Social Attitudes: the 28th Report is published on 7th December 2011 and is freely available at www.natcen.ac.uk/BSA28. Hard copies can be purchased from SAGE.
2. The editors are Alison Park, Elizabeth Clery, John Curtice, Miranda Phillips and David Utting. 
3. History - The British Social Attitudes survey has been conducted annually since 1983. Since then over 80,000 people have taken part in the survey.
4. Sample and approach - The 2010 survey consisted of 3,297 interviews with a representative, random sample of adults in Britain. Addresses are randomly selected and visited by one of NatCen Social Research's interviewers. After selecting one adult at the address (again at random), the interviewer carries out an hour long interview. Most questions are answered by the participant selecting an answer from a set of cards.
5. Topics - the topics covered by the survey change from year to year, depending on the identities and interests of its funders.  Some questions are asked every year, others every couple of years, and others less frequently.      
6. Funding - The survey is funded by a range of charitable and government sources, which change from year to year. Questions in the 2010 survey were funded by the following government departments: the Departments of Health, Work and Pensions and Education (previously the Department for Children, Schools and Families) as well as the Departments for Business, Innovation and Skills, Communities and Local Government, and Transport. Thanks are also due to the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Hera Trust. 
7. The views expressed in this report are those of the report authors and editors alone.
8. NatCen Social Research, Britain's largest independent social research organisation, aims to promote a better-informed society through high quality social research (www.natcen.ac.uk).
9. The 28th Report includes the following chapters:
• Introduction
• Political engagement Bridging the gulf? Britain's democracy after the 2010 election ( John Curtice) 
• Devolution On the road to divergence? Trends in public opinion in  Scotland and England (John Curtice and Rachel Ormston)
• Private education Private schools and public divisions: the influence of fee-paying education on social attitudes (Geoffrey Evans and James Tilley)
• School choice Parental freedom to choose and educational equality (Sonia Exley)
• Higher education A limit to expansion? Attitudes to university funding, fees and opportunities (Anna Zimdars, Alice Sullivan and Anthony Heath)
• Environment Concern about climate change: a paler shade of green? (Eleanor Taylor)
• Transport Congested Britain? Public attitudes to car use (Eleanor Taylor)
• Housing Homes, planning and changing policies (Glen Bramley)  
• NHS Taking the pulse: attitudes to the health service (Elizabeth Clery)
• Childhood Growing up in Britain (Elizabeth Clery)
• Child poverty Fewer children in poverty: is it a public priority? (Elizabeth Clery)
• Religion Losing faith? (Lucy Lee)