Climate Activist Survey

Climate
Activist
Survey

Global climate activists attended the COP 21 Summit in Paris to demand that a historical global agreement be reached. In anticipation of this, a climate activist survey was administered to climate activists in Paris to capture a snapshot of the climate justice movement. Its purpose would be to inform others in the field what is currently being done and what areas of activism the survey participants felt would help the movement grow. The survey results provide insights and suggestions to move people to take climate action.

People’s Climate March. Washington, D.C., U.S. 2017.
People’s Climate March. Washington, D.C., U.S. 2017.


A climate activist survey 
design using the concepts Areas of Climate Actions and Barriers to Climate Action measured the constructs in each concept as identified in the literature. The codified constructs identified in the responses to the survey questions provide qualitative data, which support the findings in the literature and provide additional climate actions, as well as barriers. Through pattern matching identification, the results provide insights into the main themes of what climate activists are doing now and what climate activists feel needs to be addressed and the actions they feel will make more of a difference in building the movement.

Concepts

The first theoretical concept defining the scope of the survey is Areas of Climate Activism, which is defined as categories of actions that have a positive impact to lowering carbon emissions or engaging people on addressing climate change. The second concept in this project research is Barriers to Climate Action. Barriers to Climate Action is defined as reasons or obstacles that hinder people from changing their behavior from inaction to action on climate change.

Polar Pioneer Kayakivist Blockade. Seattle, WA, U.S. 2015. Used with permission.

Constructs

The set of constructs or themes identified in the literature that fit in the concept of Areas of Climate Activism include:The set of constructs or themes identified in the literature that fit in the concept of Areas of Climate Activism include:

  • climate communicationn climate policy
  • public engagement
  • education
  • individual behaviors to lower carbon emissions 

Climate communication is defined as climate education, two-way dialog, specific messaging and framing to influence specific audiences.

Climate policy is defined as policy that influences carbon reductions at the local, state or national level. 

Public Engagement can be defined as public support for climate policy, collective action with supporting climate initiatives or involvement in community projects, campaigning, protests and movement building. 

Individual behaviors to lower carbon emissions can be defined as any behaviors or life-style choices that reduce personal carbon footprints.

The constructs or themes identified in the concept of Barriers to Climate Action as determined by Semenza et al. include the following:

  • lack of knowledgen belief that action won’t make a difference
  • not having enough time or money to act
  • how others would view someone who took action
  • skepticism of climate change
  • fatalism, meaning nothing will make a difference1

Barriers to public engagement on climate change can be defined as low public awareness, low awareness on climate change consensus, belief that climate change is a distant issue, and belief that it is the responsibility of government or industry, not the individual, according to Whitmarsh, O’Neill and Lorenzoni.2

While the constructs for both the Areas of Climate Activism and Barriers to Climate Action were pre-defined in the Climate Activist Survey, additional constructs or categories in the survey responses were recorded as new categories as noted by ‘other’ category.

D12 Rally. Paris, France. 2015.
D12 Rally. Paris, France. 2015.

Survey Questions

Surveys are useful for human behavioral research because data is created through the perceptions of individuals in what moves people to action and what prevents them from taking action. A self-administered survey produced data pertinent to the questions related to moving people to climate action. The following questions are the measurements that provided open ended, qualitative responses or data sources from the climate activists in Paris.

  1. What areas of the climate crisis are you working on?
  2. What drives or directs your passion towards your efforts to solve the climate crisis?
  3. What made you into an activist?
  4. In terms of threats of climate change, what are the top three or four threats of climate change that were the most powerful in motivating you to become active?
  5. What actions do you take to help solve the climate crisis?
  6. What do you think others need to do in order to go from passive supporter to active supporter
  7. What strategies have you used that are effective in promoting others to act?
  8. What are the challenges you face with this crisis and what keeps you going when facing these challenges?
  9. What do you think prevents people from taking action on climate change?
  10. What do you think are the next steps in your path of making even more of a difference?
People’s Climate March. New York City, NY, U.S. 2014.

Example: 

Question 1. 
What areas of the climate crisis are you working on?

Answer:
Primarily education and awareness through presentations, social media and demonstrations.

This response fits into several constructs or themes as identified by the underlined statements in the response. Primarily education is working on ‘climate communication’ or more specifically, education. Social media is coded as ‘public engagement’ or more specifically, movement building. Demonstrations is coded as ‘public engagement’ or more specifically, protest.

Full survey available upon request

Data Collection Methods

The targeted population sample of 327 climate activists returned 61 completed surveys. The subject population was identified as climate activists attending the Paris COP 21 Climate Summit. The activists are from various parts of the world. The surveys were administered via sending an email to the participants after the Paris Climate Summit. 184 participant emails were collected in Paris at the Climate Summit from three locations where activists were congregating. 143 emails were collected from the Climate Reality COP 21 Attendee List, adding up to a 327-person email list.

The survey instrument was designed in Qualtrics as an on-line survey. The link to the Climate Activist Survey at qualtrics.com was sent via email to the 184 participants via email list on December 22, 2015, April 9, 2016 and June 28, 2016 and to the list of 143 Climate Reality Leaders on January 3, 1016 only. The data collected in the form of written responses were collected online at qualtrics.com providing qualitative responses that can be added up based on the amount of times each construct is chosen, and then compared to the total for each construct for all of the respondents. No previous surveys existed to gather the information necessary for this research, so the survey is an original design. A research protocol regarding human subjects was submitted to the Human Subjects Review Committee and the survey was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). The Survey constituted content analysis.

Climate Action Zone. Paris, France. 2015.
Climate Action Zone. Paris, France. 2015.

Qualitative Data Analysis

In order to analyze the data collected, the following steps were followed: 1) The answers to each question were sorted into themes or categories that matched the anticipated constructs from the literature. 2) Any new constructs were added as a theme in the ‘other’ category, with more than one new or ‘other’ theme per question allowed. Respondents may have more than one construct in each response and all responses for all respondents were tabulated in the corresponding theme or category.

The results from the survey were analyzed to help identify what actions climate activists were engaged in, what actions they felt needed to happen in the future in order to increase climate activism and which barriers they felt were preventing people from taking climate action.

Climate Action Zone. Paris, France. 2015.
Climate Action Zone. Paris, France. 2015.

Survey Response and Analysis

D12 Art Space. Paris, France. 2015.

The analysis provided on the following pages is a standard objective review and evaluation of the over 1000 total responses to the questions asked in the climate activists survey. The survey asked climate activists to share what led them to become an activist, what they were working on to address the climate crisis, what they felt was necessary to grow the climate movement to move people from passive supporter to active supporter and other questions. The responses were coded to identify themes in order to provide an understanding of the general areas that global climate activists were influencing.

Qualitative Data Response and Analysis

Out of 61 returned surveys, 97% of the respondents are from developed countries (See Figure 1) with nearly half (48%) from the U.S. and 36% from 12 different countries in Europe. 57% identified themselves as Female and 43% Male. 21% of the respondents get paid for their activism work, where as 62% are not paid. 17% of the respondents sometimes get a stipend or are somewhat paid.

JMW_PP_Survey_Participants
Survey Map

1. What areas of the climate crisis are you working on?

Response and analysis: The survey respondents work in a variety of areas for addressing the climate crisis.

These areas are broken down into the following themes: ‘energy’, ‘policy’, ‘education’, ‘movement building’, ‘protest’, ‘earth conservation’, ‘adaptation’ and ‘other.’ ‘Movement building’ was the most commonly reported area with 52% of the responses falling into this theme. The second largest theme was ‘education’ with 39% of the respondents working in this area. In terms of movement building the respondents work on empowerment, climate justice, grassroots mobilization, divestment, building strong collaborative communities, partnering with other organizations, and supporting indigenous people’s rights. In terms of education, their responses included communicating the science and solutions, and raising public awareness through education. The other themes were not as common and fell between 15 and 23% of the respondents‘ work areas.

JMW_Q1_Graph_

2. What drives or directs your passion towards your efforts to solve the climate crisis?

Response and analysis:  The survey respondents’ passion is driven by several different themes identified as: ‘children’, ‘earth’, ‘something we must do’, ‘justice/inequality’, ‘emotion’, ‘facts/evidence’, ‘collective action’, and ‘other.’ Two emerging themes were identified. The most prominent theme was ‘earth’ expressed by 38% of the respondents, followed closely by ‘something we must do’ expressed by 34% of the respondents. ‘Children’ ranked third by 23% of the respondents which includes children, family and future generations. Generally, the ‘earth’ theme encompasses responses such as love for the planet, life on earth, commitment to nature, habitat protection, and mass extinctions of other species. Response and analysis:  The survey respondents’ passion is driven by several different themes identified as: ‘children’, ‘earth’, ‘something we must do’, ‘justice/inequality’, ‘emotion’, ‘facts/evidence’, ‘collective action’, and ‘other.’ Two emerging themes were identified. The most prominent theme was ‘earth’ expressed by 38% of the respondents, followed closely by ‘something we must do’ expressed by 34% of the respondents. ‘Children’ ranked third by 23% of the respondents which includes children, family and future generations. Generally, the ‘earth’ theme encompasses responses such as love for the planet, life on earth, commitment to nature, habitat protection, and mass extinctions of other species. 

Some of the responses in the ‘something we must do theme’ are:

  • There’s no other important issue 
  • We must change course
  • I have a strong sense of responsibility, accountability and moral integrity that shapes my behaviors and actions.
  • Solving the world’s greatest challenge
  • Deep commitment to make the world a better place
  • My ethics of justice for all of God’s creation
  • We need to act NOW
  • Sense of mission
  • I believe we in the U.S. have the responsibility to do something about the problem we have had a large part in creating
Q2 Graph

3. What made you into an activist?

Response and analysis: There were two dominant themes that emerged. Over half of the respondents’ answers fell equally into two themes ‘gaining of knowledge’ and ‘commitment/responsibility’, with 26% responding to each theme. The other themes identified were ‘upbringing’, ‘putting skills or passion to work’, ‘earth impacts/changes’, and ‘other.’ ‘Gaining knowledge’ was characterized by either watching a film, attending a course, reading a book or just general acquiring of knowledge.

Some of the ‘commitment/responsibility’ answers are:

  • Compelling instinct to help
  • Commitment to cause
  • A sense of responsibility for the climate crisis
  • I just saw something wasn’t right and felt compelled
  • I believe we have a responsibility to make a difference
  • Longstanding (lifelong) commitment to benefit life on earth
  • A sense of obligation to other people
Q3 Graph

4. In terms of threats of climate change, what are the top three or four threats of climate change that were the most powerful in motivating you to become active?

Response and analysis: The most dominant theme was ‘climate impacts’ with 62% of the respondents citing impacts such as drought, fires, floods, ocean acidification and sea level rise. Sea level rise was the most recorded climate impact response (28%) followed by drought (16%). The second most dominant theme centered around ‘conflict’. The responses ranged from threat to food security, poverty, climate refugees, war, competition of resources, and intergenerational abuse. 39% of the respondents cited ‘conflict’. The third emerging theme was ‘nature’ which was recorded in a variety of ways such as the threats on nature and the natural world, change in habitat, loss of species, forest devastation, and loss of biodiversity. This theme was recorded by 30% of the respondents.

General Responses

JMW_Q4a_Graph

Climate Impacts

JMW_Q4b_Graph

5. What actions do you take to help solve the climate crisis?

Response and analysis:  The responses were recorded under the following six themes: ‘lowering CO2 emissions’, ‘influence politicians’, ‘education’, ‘movement building’, ‘protest’, ‘writing’ and ‘other’. Two dominant themes emerged with ‘movement building’ the most prominent with 64% of the respondents answers expressed in this theme. Some of the responses recorded were: Response and analysis:  The responses were recorded under the following six themes: ‘lowering CO2 emissions’, ‘influence politicians’, ‘education’, ‘movement building’, ‘protest’, ‘writing’ and ‘other’. Two dominant themes emerged with ‘movement building’ the most prominent with 64% of the respondents answers expressed in this theme. 

Some of the responses recorded were: 

  • Mentoring emerging youth leaders
  • Getting people in touch with others
  • I encourage others to keep talking about this issue with their peers
  • Sign petitions
  • Working with other activists
  • Networking in the environmental movement
  • Promote on social median Working with Indigenous communities
  • Helping other initiatives

The other dominant theme was ‘education’ with 62% of the respondents taking action through raising awareness and educating about climate change in various ways. 

Q5 Graph

14. What do you think others need to do in order to go from a passive supporter to an active supporter?

Response and analysis:  The responses to this question were broken down into the following themes: ‘talk to others’, ‘make it personal/responsibility’, ‘take actions’, ‘see results/success’, ‘educate’, ‘government intervention’, ‘join others’, and ‘other’. There were three dominant themes identified from the responses. ‘Make it personal/responsibility’ was the most dominant with 31% of the respondents’ answers in this theme. These answers included:Response and analysis:  The responses to this question were broken down into the following themes: ‘talk to others’, ‘make it personal/responsibility’, ‘take actions’, ‘see results/success’, ‘educate’, ‘government intervention’, ‘join others’, and ‘other’. There were three dominant themes identified from the responses. ‘Make it personal/responsibility’ was the most dominant with 31% of the respondents’ answers in this theme. These answers included:

  • See it as a moral issue
  • Make it personal
  • Realize their responsibility as a consumer
  • Understanding of the personal stakes, a personalized and urgent call to action
  • Links to their own lives and well being
  • Be personally impacted
  • People need to know that what they do on a personal level is worthwhile

The ‘educate’ theme was second with 30% of the respondents’ answers falling into this theme. The theme ‘see results/success’ followed closely with 28% of the respondents’ answers falling into this theme with responses such as:The ‘educate’ theme was second with 30% of the respondents’ answers falling into this theme. The theme ‘see results/success’ followed closely with 28% of the respondents’ answers falling into this theme with responses such as:

  • Build tiny successes
  • Visually see the effects
  • They need to witness it
  • Sell the benefits as opposed to hitting people with the problems all the time
  • See how the work they do can connect to the broader movement
  • To see that some of the steps they can take are quite simple and empowering
  • There’s a reason to act if the outcome will be positive
Q14 Graph

15. What strategies have you used that are effective in promoting others to act?

Response and analysis: The most dominant theme centered around ‘education’ through various means including: public presentations, sharing information, TV shows, university lectures, trainings, workshops, etc. The next dominant theme was ‘conversation’ which included responses related to listening and two-way dialog. Other themes included ‘lead by example,’ ‘moral activism’ and ‘social media.’

Q15 Graph

16. What are the challenges you face with this crisis and what keeps you going when facing these challenges?

Response and analysis: The most dominant theme centered around ‘apathy’ expressed in a variety of ways, such as indifference, lack of interest, complacency, and hopelessness. 33% of the respondents responded in this theme. The next dominant theme was ‘power/greed’ with 23% of the responses falling into this theme. As for the second part of the question, not everyone gave a response as to what keeps them going. There were 2 general themes to this part of the question which were ‘community, collaboration and support’ and ‘must do something’. Twice as many chose the ‘community, collaboration and support’ (42.6%) over ‘must do something’ (21.3%).

Q16 Graph

17. What do you think prevents people from taking action on climate change?

Response and analysis: There were many different responses as to what prevents people from taking action. The main themes identified were: ‘confusion/propaganda’, ‘low priority/no time’, ‘overwhelming/too big of problem’, ‘helpless/hopeless/despair’, ‘lack of knowledge’, ‘scary/fear’, ‘apathy’, ‘ignorance’, ‘comfort/fear of change’, and ‘other.’ The two dominant themes identified were ‘helpless/hopeless/despair’ written by 31% of the respondents and ‘lack of knowledge’ by 28% of the respondents.

Q17 Graph

18. What do you think are the next steps in your path of making even more of a difference?

Response and analysis:  The responses fell into seven different themes which are: ‘lower personal carbon footprint’, ‘policy’, ‘education’, ‘movement building’, ‘self care’, ‘job’ and ‘other.’ ‘Movement building’ was the dominant theme with 56% of the respondents’ answers reflected in this theme. Some of the responses included:Response and analysis:  The responses fell into seven different themes which are: ‘lower personal carbon footprint’, ‘policy’, ‘education’, ‘movement building’, ‘self care’, ‘job’ and ‘other.’ ‘Movement building’ was the dominant theme with 56% of the respondents’ answers reflected in this theme. 

Some of the responses included:

  • Work in engaging the Latino community to act on climate
  • Which target group, which level of information background do I have to increase
  • What I can do in my nearer surroundings to do bottom up change
  • Meeting with other activists to brainstorm more ideas on actions we can take
  • Connect this movement with other movements
  • Building a team of people to work on researching existing ‘frontline’ efforts and influencing wider adoption of a strategic solidarity plan for the movement
  • Nationalize climate mobilization coalition effort
  • To reach those not in the choir
  • More on social median Working with other supporters throughout the country and internationally
Q18 Graph

Limitations

Potential limitations include the population bias of the climate activists in Paris. These activists had the means to travel, and some may have been there for work and not as volunteers. While they are all exemplary activists, the data is biased towards those currently active only. However, this may provide a more focused sample group. Because the questions provided qualitative data, the questions could be interpreted differently because the survey sample was from people in various countries. The data could be impacted by cultural and language differences. This is addressed by acknowledging that there are differences in actions for each country by offering an ‘other’ category so the data could be inclusive. In addition, there are time, location and recruitment biases. The time spent with activists was at different times of day, and varied based on availability. A specific time was not chosen and therefore, not consistent. However, opportunities to connect with activists at various locations where activists were congregating seemed to be a more flexible approach. While the locations were biased, there were no demographics targeted as the people chosen were those that were in the area at the time set aside to connect and collect emails.

‘100% Renewable Eiffel Tower Peace Symbol’ - Human Aerial Art. Paris, France. 2015. Used with permission.
‘100% Renewable Eiffel Tower Peace Symbol’ - Human Aerial Art. Paris, France. 2015. Used with permission.

The survey responses provide a glimpse into what activists are currently doing to help build the climate justice movement as well as areas they plan to work on in the future. This gives us a sense of where activists feel energy or direction needs to be applied moving forward. Learning what moved them to become active supporters helps provide organizers and climate communicators ideas on what climate impacts can move others. By including messages with those threats emphasized can possibly move more people to become active.

End Notes — Climate Activist Survey

     1. Semenza, J. C., Hall, D. E., Wilson, D. J., Bontempo, B. D., Sailor, D. J., & George, L. A. (2008). Public perception of climate change: voluntary mitigation and barriers to behavior change. American journal of preventive medicine, 35(5), 479-487.

     2. Whitmarsh, L., O’Neill, S., & Lorenzoni, I. (2013). Public engagement with climate change: What do we know and where do we go from here? International Journal of Media & Cultural Politics, 9(1), 7-25.

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