Over half of UK adults concerned about impact of climate change on their local community

New research shows that over half (54%) of UK adults are worried about how climate change will affect their local community, and this is spurring them into personal and community-led climate action:

• Responsibility: while almost nine in ten (88%) say the UK Government is responsible for tackling climate change, people recognise that individuals (82%) and communities (79%) have a key role too
• Getting involved: more than half (55%) of UK adults say they are either currently taking part in community-led climate action or they plan to or will consider doing so in the future
• More than four in ten (44%) say the COVID-19 pandemic has made the importance of addressing climate change personally more important to them
• · In the last 5 years, The National Lottery Community Fund has awarded over £397 million in over 6,000 grants for environmental action - it says “community climate action can make a difference”.

As the UK prepares to host COP26, new research* out today from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK, shows that over half (54%) of UK adults are worried about how climate change will affect their local community.

The survey of over 8,000 people across the UK shows that for many of us the reality of what could come from climate change is hitting home, but at the same time people’s sense of personal responsibility and wanting to take action, whether individually or collectively, is also kicking in.

While almost nine in ten (88%) say the UK Government is responsible for tackling climate change, there is very high recognition for the role of individuals and communities too. Over eight in ten (82%) say individuals have a responsibility, while 79% say the same of local communities.

More importantly, the findings suggest that people want to take personal responsibility for mitigating the impact on their community - more than half (55%) say they are either currently taking part in community-led climate action or they plan to or will consider doing so in the future.

Seven in ten (71%) say they are recycling more, while around half (52%) are using energy-efficient appliances and lighting at home or have insulated their homes (51%). Interestingly, more than four in ten (44%) say the COVID-19 pandemic has made the importance of addressing climate change personally more important to them.

Nick Gardner, Head of Climate Action at The National Lottery Community Fund, says: “This research shows that people are becoming increasingly aware that climate change will impact them and their community. But there is also recognition that individuals and communities have a vital role to play, alongside the response of Government and business.

“As the UK’s largest funder of community activity, we’re delighted to support this effort with National Lottery funding. The community-led climate action projects we’ve supported show us that there are some great innovations taking place that are bringing people and communities together in a very positive way. It’s clear that there are many ways people and communities across the UK can take climate action so I would urge people who care about this issue or are concerned about the impact of climate change on their community to get involved.”

One South West group that is already supporting local communities to take climate action thanks to National Lottery funding is Bude Climate Partnership Team.

This local group is using almost £200,000 in National Lottery funding to conduct research in the coastal area to investigate the impacts of climate change. The research will help the community prioritise potential approaches to mitigate the environmental threats and reduce the town’s carbon footprint. The project supports the area’s ambition to become carbon neutral by 2030 and be a leading sustainable tourist area.

Rob Uhlig,  Chair of Bude Climate Partnership, says: “Thanks to National Lottery players we are helping to ensure our community, economy, residents and businesses can find the best ways to protect our precious way of life and our beautiful coastline from the effects of climate change.”

Another project who are taking community-led climate action thanks to National Lottery funding is Nottingham Energy Partnership (NEP), which is working alongside Meadows Ozone Energy Services (MOZES), to run the Green Meadows project. The partnership is using £1.5 million from The National Lottery Community Fund to support communities across the Meadows to act and tackle climate change.

The Green Meadows project is supporting local people of the Meadows with the knowledge, kills and tools they need to have more energy efficient homes. Using tools such as the Knowledge Bank at The Meadows Library and community learning sessions in local Primary Schools, the Meadows area hopes to lead Nottingham’s transformation to a Net Zero Carbon City by 2028. With projects in the pipeline such as green home skills training and an energy audit, the Green Meadows Project hope to act as a catalyst for other areas, both in Nottingham and across the Midlands, to take on the challenge of reducing their carbon footprint.

Philip Angus, CEO at Nottingham Energy Partnership (NEP), says: “Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to make great strides towards becoming a more climate change resilient community in the Meadows and play our part in helping Nottingham to achieve its 2028 Net Zero Carbon target.”

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes. National Lottery players raise £36 million each week for good causes throughout the UK*. Thanks to National Lottery players, since 2016, we have awarded £397 million through more than 6,000 grants which involve environmental action, including action on waste and consumption, energy, transport, food and the natural environment.

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk