Transforming Young People’s Climate Concern into Climate Action
By Grace Adcox
Summary and Highlights
Among young people polled, 91 percent indicate they are at least a little concerned about climate change, with nearly four out of five young people (77 percent) being somewhat or very concerned
While a strong majority of young people (88 percent) care about the climate, roughly two-thirds (65 percent) are unsure of what they can do to personally impact climate change
Young people widely support the Civilian Climate Corps (72 percent support)
Introduction
Young people today are acutely aware of climate change and are beginning to see the effects of the climate crisis in their own communities. With the U.S. alone experiencing 20 billion-dollar disasters in 2021, the climate crisis is here to stay, and it won’t be pulling any punches. Each day that Congress defers a chance to pass climate legislation, the window of opportunity to fight back against climate change continues to close. Young people especially have expressed disappointment at this inaction, but their concern and enthusiasm about the climate may be our best opportunity to mobilize the bold policy responses we need to ensure the security of a sustainable world for future generations.
In a January 2022 national survey, Data for Progress and Service Year Alliance evaluated the attitudes of 711 young people ages 18-28 toward climate change and service work to combat the impacts of climate change. We find that a majority of young people express deep concerns about the climate, but worry their individual ability to make a difference is limited. Looking for ways to make a difference in their communities, nearly half of young people say they would consider participating in a service year program like the Civilian Climate Corps, indicating widespread support for federal climate actions which enable young voters to meaningfully participate in the fight against climate change.
Polling Findings
First, we asked young people how concerned they are about climate change. In line with other recent polling, we find that nearly four out of five young people (77 percent) are “very” or “somewhat” concerned about climate change. Fewer than 10 percent of respondents indicate they are “not at all concerned” about climate change, demonstrating that this issue is incredibly salient among young people.
Next, we assessed young people’s willingness to act on climate change. An overwhelming majority of respondents (88 percent) indicate that they care about the issue, but only a quarter of respondents (23 percent) say they are already actively involved in efforts to address climate change. Nearly two-thirds of young people care about climate change and convey that they are uncertain about the actions they can take to personally make a difference, demonstrating a tremendous opportunity to pass legislation which mobilizes passionate young people to take action.
Turning to the topic of service, we next asked young people about their willingness to participate in a service year. Nearly half of respondents (45 percent) state they would “strongly” or “maybe” consider participating in a service year, with an additional third of young people (33 percent) saying they are split on whether or not they would consider doing it. Additionally, we find willingness is higher among the 22-28 age group of respondents (48 percent) than their peers in the 18-21 age group (43 percent).
We then briefly introduced respondents to the Civilian Climate Corps (CCC), identifying strong support across the board for this proposed federal program. Seventy-two percent of respondents indicate that they support the CCC, a net margin of +63 points. By geographic breakdown, the CCC enjoys a slightly higher level of support from young people living in rural areas (77 percent) over residents of suburban areas (72 percent) and urban areas (71 percent).
Finally, we assessed the willingness of young voters to join the CCC for a climate service year. We find that two out of five of young people would be willing to join the CCC, with 38 percent of respondents saying they would consider joining, and an additional 39 percent are split evenly between considering joining or not. Female respondents are more likely to indicate they would “strongly” or “maybe” consider joining the CCC (43 percent) than male respondents (33 percent), aligning with slightly higher levels of climate interest throughout the survey from women.
Conclusion
This moment marks a turning point in addressing the climate crisis. Young voters are knowledgeable, engaged, and enthusiastic about joining the fight against climate change, but worry about their ability to participate on a personal level. With strong support for the Civilian Climate Corps, President Biden and lawmakers should feel confident enacting bold climate legislation that builds the foundation for young people to collectively lead our response to the climate crisis.
Grace Adcox (@GraceAdcox) is a Polling Analyst at Data for Progress.