Why Climate Action Should Not Be Divisive

An important study investigating the global evidence on the actual and perceived support for climate action. While the study finds widespread support for climate action, the researchers: “document that the world is in a state of pluralistic ignorance, wherein individuals around the globe systematically underestimate the willingness of their fellow citizens to act. This perception gap, combined with individuals showing conditionally cooperative behaviour, poses challenges to further climate action. Therefore, raising awareness about the broad global support for climate action becomes critically important in promoting a unified response to climate change…. The prevailing pessimism regarding others’ support for climate action can deter individuals from engaging in climate action, thereby confirming the negative beliefs held by others. Therefore, our results suggest a potentially powerful intervention, that is, a concerted political and communicative effort to correct these misperceptions.” The ability for individuals to take action needs to be created by our leaders, but we also need to help more folks see the desire for climate action among their peers, to norm positive climate behaviour across all parts of society, and remove the taboo of talking about being supportive of ambitious climate action. Media and creatives have such a huge, yet as yet untapped, opportunity to help share these stories. But all of us can help. Talk about climate action. With your family, friends, peers, work teams, sports teams….In your communities, colleges, corporates…. Join climate groups and networks. Create ones where they don’t exist. Share your support, there’s likely others needing to hear it. https://lnkd.in/ewYNNQ2R

#FoundersFriday What’s happening with Textile Climate Action? Every time I post about textiles, my comments turn into a climate boxing ring. One corner yells: “We don’t need recycling — just buy less!” The other shouts: “Forget recycling — invest in energy transformation!” From what I’ve seen, these voices echo two schools of thought that have shaped climate conversations for years. One believes the push must come from consumer demand — buy less, buy better, shift culture. The other insists it’s about system-level business and policy shifts — regulation, infrastructure, and new business models that scale. I lean toward the second, because that’s where I can make a dent. Why? a) Businesses set the menu. Consumers can only “choose better” if better options exist. (Remember my post on cleaning wipes? Case in point.) b) Policy is a lever. Things like EPR, eco-design standards, and waste bans don’t just tweak the system — they reset the economics. That said, both matter. Yet both are being drowned out by how climate action is increasingly downplayed, politicised, and treated as a side issue. On LinkedIn especially, the algorithm loves a good fight. Nuance (“we need reduction, recycling and energy transformation”) doesn’t travel as far as a hot take. Opposing views thrive because conflict gets clicks. In a wider context, geopolitics has hijacked climate. Instead of “collective survival,” we see climate policy wrapped in trade wars and resource competition. The EU Green Deal? Carbon and competitiveness. The US Inflation Reduction Act? Climate policy with protectionism baked in. China’s renewables push? As much about energy independence as the planet. Somewhere along the way, morality became secondary to strategy. We’re at a moral crossroads. One path is "pragmatic survival" — nations hedging for themselves, adopting green policies only when it suits their own cycles, treating climate as a side lens. The other is "shared humanity" — where climate isn’t a burden but the defining moral project of our time: a chance to rewrite how we live together on this planet. The truth is, all three perspectives are necessary: ✅ Yes, we must buy less. ✅ Yes, we must decarbonise energy across the supply chain. ✅ Yes, we must close material loops (like textiles). The problem isn’t that opposing views exist. It’s that we frame them as enemies, when in reality, they’re teammates. The future needs bridge-builders, not silo-keepers. So what do you think — should the push come from consumers, businesses, or policymakers? Or do we finally admit it has to be all three? #ClimateAction #CircularEconomy #TextileRecycling #SystemChange #Sustainability #FutureOfFashion #ClimateLeadership

On global warming, they say we’re divided. We are not. Across the globe, support for climate action is high, according to some really important new research. There's a problem though. People overestimate how many people DON’T support the fight against climate change. These are the findings of a paper for Nature Climate Change. They’ve interviewed a staggering 130,000 people across 125 countries. Here are some of key points: 🟢 69% of the global population has expressed a readiness to contribute 1% of their personal income towards climate action. 🟢 86% of individuals have shown their support for pro-climate social norms 🟢 89% are calling for intensified political action on climate change. One of the most striking revelations of the research is the existence of what the study terms 'pluralistic ignorance,' where individuals consistently underestimate the willingness of their fellow citizens to act against climate change. This highlights the need to bridge the gap between perceived and actual support for climate action. Ultimately, it’s refreshing to see that there’s a collective willingness and readiness to address climate challenges. If we can just recognise we’re not as polarised as we’re told we are, more transformative action can happen. #ClimateAction #ClimateChange #Sustainability #MotherTree

Today’s speech by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres struck essential chords that we all must heed:   “Climate action cannot be captive to geo-political divisions….As the world meets in Bonn for climate talks, and gears up for the G7 and G20 Summits, the United Nations General Assembly, and COP29, we need maximum ambition, maximum acceleration and maximum cooperation....Even if emissions hit zero tomorrow, a recent study found that climate chaos will still cost at least $38 trillion a year by 2050. Climate change is the mother of all stealth taxes paid by everyday people and vulnerable countries and communities….By COP29, we need early movers to go from exploring to implementing solidarity levies on sectors such as shipping, aviation, and fossil fuel extraction – to help fund climate action.” -- Pursuing a rapid phase out of fossil fuels is the only currently viable pathway to achieve the outcomes laid out by the Secretary-General and can provide a more equitable and just approach. While clean energy pathways raise their own equity and justice concerns, RMI is committed to engaging our partners and local communities to minimize potential harms and deliver the benefits of low-carbon solutions to frontline communities. Learn more about our approach at https://lnkd.in/gfDBTtub 

Widespread support for climate action 💚 "Mitigating climate change necessitates global cooperation, yet global data on individuals’ willingness to act remain scarce. In this study, we conducted a representative survey across 125 countries, interviewing nearly 130,000 individuals. Our findings reveal widespread support for climate action. Notably, 69% of the global population expresses a willingness to contribute 1% of their personal income, 86% endorse pro-climate social norms and 89% demand intensified political action. Countries facing heightened vulnerability to climate change show a particularly high willingness to contribute. Despite these encouraging statistics, we document that the world is in a state of pluralistic ignorance, wherein individuals around the globe systematically underestimate the willingness of their fellow citizens to act. This perception gap, combined with individuals showing conditionally cooperative behaviour, poses challenges to further climate action. Therefore, raising awareness about the broad global support for climate action becomes critically important in promoting a unified response to climate change. Learn more https://lnkd.in/eRQzVwJN #climatechange #climateaction #climategoals #sustainability #future