‘Spiral of silence’: climate action is very popular, so why don’t people realise it?

Activating the ‘Silent Majority’ to Fight Climate Change

How much of a $450 pot would you give to a charity that cuts carbon emissions by investing in renewable energy, and how much would you keep for yourself? That was the question posed in a recent academic experiment. The answers mattered: real money was handed out as a result to some randomly chosen participants. The average person gave away about half the money and kept the rest. But what if you had been told beforehand that the vast majority o…

‘Spiral of silence’: climate action is very popular, so why don’t people realise it?

Researchers find 89% of people around the world want more to be done, but mistakenly assume their peers do notActivate climate’s ‘silent majority’ to supercharge action, experts sayThe Guardian is joining forces with dozens of newsrooms around the world to launch the 89 Percent Project—and highlight the fact that the vast majority of the world’s population wants climate action. Read moreHow much of a $450 (£339) pot would you give to a charity t…

Breaking the climate silence: Predictors of discussing global warming with family and friends

Climate change is a pressing issue that requires action across multiple levels, from individual behavior to international cooperation. On the individual level, one of the easiest and most important actions people can take is to talk about climate change. However, relatively few Americans engage in climate change discussions with family and friends, creating what has been referred to as “climate silence”. Here we investigate factors that predict …