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Over 50% of Scots worry about climate change every day
Survey shows that most Scots want to do more to help nature
NatureScot Opinion Survey shows that most Scots want to do more to help nature, with strong public concern when it comes to the immediate threat of the climate crisis.
The annual survey of public opinion on environmental issues in Scotland has shown that people who have stronger relationships with the natural world (nature connectivity) are more likely to understand that the problem of biodiversity loss (all living things) is an urgent one. 52% of respondents to the survey said that they “worry a lot about climate change in everyday life”. 71% agreed that the loss of species, habitats and ecosystems was an immediate issue.
The effects of climate change on Scotland’s species, habitats and communities can be seen in our food and energy supply security, our water quality and availability, the flood risks we face, our cultural heritage, recreation and health. Climate change is also the single greatest threat to Scotland’s habitats, from mountain tops to our seabeds. Some habitats will be directly affected. More often, climate change will alter the intricate ecological balances that let plants and animals grow and thrive.
The survey found that most Scots have undertaken nature-friendly activities in the last year, with respondents championing walking in areas of local greenspace, providing food or water for wild animals and picking up litter.
Two fifths of Scots reported having volunteered for the environment in the last 12 months, but around three-quarters of people felt they could do more to help nature and the environment. Respondents also believed that being able to see the positive effects of their actions, engaging with other people, and accessing better information about what they can do would encourage them to do even more.
Most respondents had heard of the types of protected areas that look after special habitats, species and geological sites such as National Nature Reserves (NNR); Marine Protected Areas (MPA) and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and half of all survey respondents had visited at least one National Park in the previous year, with just over a tenth having visited both of Scotland’s designated parks.
NatureScot’s Director of Green Economy, Robbie Kernahan said:
“These survey results matter because they offer a message of hope for Scotland’s nature and its people. Every day we see the Scottish public fitting nature-friendly activities into their lives, and we know the passion and care Scots have for our beautiful countryside, our precious species and fragile habitats.
“One way for people across Scotland to help nature is to follow the easy advice in NatureScot’s Make Space for Nature campaign. Millions of Scots are making space for nature in their households, their communities and across the country, and this wave of interest and concern for nature – whether it’s through the informal volunteering of picking up litter, providing food and water for animals in a garden, or the citizen science of recording the wildlife they see – is crucial to our shared efforts to stop the loss of Scotland’s nature.”
