Deep green: good news, bad news... and politicians

The good news is that 14% of Scots are 'deep green' according to the Scottish Government's latest research. They believe climate change is an immediate and urgent problem and say they know a great deal or a fair amount about it. (Don't blame me, that's how the survey defines 'deep greens', nothing to do with the deep ecology movement).

The bad news is that 'deep greens' are no more likely to fly less or drive less than others.

They've got the message but aren't doing much about it. Why not?

The research identifies the barriers as convenience, cost, lack of alternatives and practical difficulties.

We all know the pressures that make it difficult to do the 'right thing'. It's not the whole story, but part of what we need is for governments to remove the barriers - and they do have the power to remove many of them.

The really scary thing from this research is this: even if politicians get the message about climate change, would they be any different from the 'deep greens' in this survey? Would they fail to take action that was significantly different - and more effective - compared to other politicians?

We believe real motivation for action comes not from just the 'facts' but from a deep and strong relationship with the natural world and fellow humans. This means exploring what makes our hearts beat, our minds tick, and our hands reach out to others and the planet. TheNatural Change Project we're running with WWF support is exploring this approach and coming to some very interesting and inspiring conclusions...

What would it take to get politicians taking part? (This isn't a rhetorical question. Please comment!)