The Climate Action Survey is one of two Climate Action Beacon projects being funded over a five-year period. The survey reveals what Australians think, feel, and do about climate change and related environmental and climatic events, conditions and issues.
Year 3 - Climate Action Surveys conducted in September-December 2023
Summary for Policy and Decision Making report - released September 2024
This report gives details of the background of the second annual survey, as well as its methods, major findings and potential implications.
Technical report - released September 2024
The technical report outlines the aims and background to the survey, together with information about the survey method, survey respondents and preliminary results of the survey findings.
Year 2 - Climate Action Surveys conducted in September - December 2022
Griffith University’s Climate Action Beacon conducted the second of five planned Climate Action Surveys in September-December 2022. 4,030 Australians participated in this second survey. Read the reports and findings:
Summary for Policy and Decision Making report - released September 2023
This report gives details of the background of the second annual survey, as well as its methods, major findings and potential implications. Comparisons are made with findings from the corresponding 2021 survey.
Technical report - released April 2023
The technical report outlines the aims and background to the survey, together with information about the survey method, survey respondents and preliminary results of the survey findings.
Year 1 - Climate Action Surveys conducted in September - October 2021
3,915 Australians participated in the first annual survey conducted by the Griffith University Climate Action Beacon. Discover more about the survey findings and reports:
Summary for Policy and Decision Making report - released 28 April 2022
One of the most ambitious climate change surveys conducted in Australia has found that about three out of four Australians are concerned about it and support policies that limit its potential impacts. It is the first in a series of five annual surveys that deliver an exceptionally rich source of data on climate change attitudes and behaviours.
What Australians really think about climate change - survey 28 April 2022
Find out about some of the key highlights and hear from Assoc Prof Sameer Deshpande and Assoc Prof Graham Bradley.
Initial results - released 10 Nov 2021
A new national survey finds that Australians support a net-zero carbon emissions target and want a carbon tax to fund renewable energy and a phasing out of all fossil fuel mining.
Why it is important
Information about Australians’ climate change-related knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and actions is needed for many reasons. This is particularly so in current times when the problems of climate change are already upon us, and the issue is attracting unprecedented attention with the COP26 in Glasgow.
Findings from this survey will:
- build theory, test theory, and develop theoretical understandings of climate change-related phenomena
- contribute to knowledge derived from research; fill gaps in this research and resolve inconsistencies/controversies raised by research
- inform the design of inter-disciplinary interventions and the formulation of policy in relation to climate change issues, and thereby meet relevant government and industry needs for up-to-date and authoritative information
- inform individuals and communities, and stimulate public debate in relation to climate change-related matters
- complement other Climate Action Beacon projects, inform diverse Climate Action Beacon member interests, and further establish the Beacon as a national and international leader in climate change research, policy, and practice.
Examples of questions that could be answered from the survey
- Does anyone still not believe in climate change? If so, who are they?
- What proportion of Australians support a net zero-carbon emission target by 2050? What proportion of federal Coalition voters support this?
- Should the government put a tax on carbon emissions?
- When do Australians believe we will start feeling the effects of climate change?
- What reasons do Australians give for not behaving in environmentally-friendly ways?
- How many Australians are interested in buying an electric or hybrid vehicle?
- What proportion of Australians believe that the problems of climate change can be solved through new technology?
- What will motivate Australians to adopt a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle?
- What concerns Australians more – climate change or COVID-19?
- Are people more concerned about climate change now than they were a year ago?
- Are farmers concerned about climate change?
- Do people know how much they know about climate change?
- What source do Australians most trust when it comes to information about climate change?
