Both farmers and the general public underestimate each other’s worry about climate change and willingness to take climate action, a recent study carried out by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has found.

The objective of the study was to investigate climate misperceptions, comparing how farmers and non-farmers see their own, their peers’ and each other’s worry about climate change and willingness to take action.

To conduct the study, the ESRI surveyed two groups:

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  • 467 farmers from different regions and farm types.
  • 1,200 non-farmers, which consisted of 600 urban residents and 600 rural residents.

    • In the survey, each of the three groups was asked to rate their own worry about climate change and their willingness to take climate action.

    Participants were also asked to rate farmers and the general public using the same scales.

    For the general public, climate actions involved various lifestyle changes, such as transport, energy and food choices, while for farmers it involved using climate-friendly farming methods and technologies.

    Results

    Both farmers and non-farmers expressed worry about climate change and willingness to take climate action.

    All groups, except farmers themselves, underestimated farmers' worry and willingness and all groups underestimated the general public's worry and willingness.

    No evidence of an urban-rural divide in attitudes to climate change was found.

    Individual’s perceptions of others climate views can be inaccurate due to “pluralistic ignorance”, which is when people collectively underestimate the majority’s views, the study details.

    The study also found strong false consensus effects, meaning the more that people were worried and willing to act, the more they thought other people were and vice-versa.

    This suggests that individual biases may be more important than collective misperceptions when it comes to climate.

    Many individuals decide whether to co-operate on climate action based on whether they think others will too, the study highlights.

    This study highlights some of the misperceptions that hinder climate action and the need for more communication to break down these misperceptions by showing that positive attitudes to climate action are more common than people believe.