Three out of four Americans feel they have a "moral obligation" to make the world a better place by addressing climate change not only for their own children and grandchildren but for all children to come.
The findings from the Siena College Research Institute's survey are part of Think of the Children, a new report released by Capita and the Aspen Institute’s This Is Planet Ed.
Surprisingly, nearly half of the respondents least concerned about climate change (46%) agree with the moral obligation to address climate change when thinking about children. The compelling findings show that while American adults are anxious about how a shifting climate will affect their children's future, they are also eager for ways to work together to create a flourishing world for the next generation.
Despite nearly 8 out of 10 Americans agreeing that climate change is a "very" or "somewhat serious" problem, only about half of parents with children (49%) said they have talked with their children about it, and yet, three in 10 respondents with children said their children have told them they worry about climate change
Key Takeaways
74% of respondents feel they have a moral obligation to make the world a better place by addressing climate change not only for their own children and grandchildren but also for all children to come
Nearly half (46%) of the respondents least concerned about climate change agree with the moral obligation to address climate change when thinking about children.
Our survey found that people of color are more climate conscious and more concerned for children: 81% of Black and 83% of Latino respondents were very or somewhat concerned that climate change will impact children in their lifetime compared to 70% of White respondents.
Four out of five respondents (82%) believe that children will be essential in fighting climate change and that we must give them the knowledge and skills to build a sustainable world.
Yet there is still a high level of silence about climate change between generations. Only about half of parents with children (49%) say they have talked with their children about it.