Barriers and pathways to climate action among nature lovers

Abstract

One barrier to action on climate change is not talking about it. The majority of residents of the United States and Canada are concerned about climate change1,2 but are reluctant to discuss it with family and friends1,3–5. Finding opportunities to promote conversation about climate change within existing social circles would help to increase the acceptability of climate actions6,7. In this study, 32 semi-structured interviews were held with representatives of nature-related organisations in Ontario, Canada, to ascertain how they perceive climate change. Most interviewees noticed local effects of climate change and were either Alarmed or Concerned about climate change, referencing Global Warming’s Six Americas3. Many worried about their chosen activity or their offspring. This suggests that nature lovers, who might distance themselves from the environmental movement8, could be amenable to discussing and acting on climate change. This article adds to the literature on laypeople’s understanding of climate change9–11.