Acceptance and concern around global heating remains high
Attitudes firm up on both sides of the divide
We come towards the tail end of 2025 in a political environment (especially in Europe and the United States) which is pushing back on green energy and inclusive social initiatives?.
From President Trump’s objections to wind power to the United Kingdom debate around the timescale and funding for Net Zero initiatives, there have been vocal and high-profile objections to some key sustainability actions and policies around the world.
What matters most is not just the headlines themselves, but how such debates impact on consumers at an individual level. While our data reveals pockets of growing polarisation, the overriding picture is clear: environmental action remains a priority for a large share of people worldwide.
To assess the extent to which people reject the science around climate change, we asked whether they viewed global warming as the most critical threat facing humanity or as something greatly exaggerated. Globally, one in three people (33%) said that it is the greatest threat we face.
Regional differences, however, are striking. The majority of the population in China (71.8%) felt it was the most critical threat to humanity and over 50% said the same both Indonesia and Argentina. By contrast, only 21.3% in Europe share this view. On the other side of the spectrum, just 5% globally say the threat to humanity from climate change is exaggerated – in Saudi Arabia, the number peaks at 18%.
In previous years, climate change has consistently been at the top of consumers' lists of environmental concerns. This year, however, the most widely cited was water pollution (46.3%) with climate change a close second (46.1%). Even though, climate change was the most cited concern at 12.1%. It was consistently high as a top worry across Europe, Latam and APAC.
Our study also looked to contextualise concern for the planet in comparison with other social and economic worries. Social issues such as unemployment, scored significantly in specific countries such as South Africa (49.7%), while in other markets like France and the US less than 5% of people stated it as their biggest concern.
Plastic waste has long been a key priority in our Who Cares, Who Does? reports. It’s often a hugely visible concern for people around the world. This year is no exception – it’s highlighted as a global issue by 39.6% – but it’s less commonly cited as top of mind. India is an exception, where 11% selected plastic as their No. 1 issue.
Rising concern is being fuelled by the growing link between microplastics and health. Right now, nearly a quarter (23%) strongly agree that their worries about microplastics are increasing.
The growing evidence of the health impacts of microplastics suggest that FMCG brands cannot postpone the switch to a more circular economy much longer.
