Views on climate crisis - Scottish Government

Almost half of Scots say reaching net zero will improve their quality of life.

Almost half (44%) of Scots think that reaching net zero by 2045 would improve their quality of life – compared to just 1 in 10 who think it would make it worse - according to new official statistics published for the first time today (Wednesday 23 April 2025).

The Scottish Climate Survey also found that almost three-quarters of those surveyed (72%) feel climate change is an immediate and urgent problem and almost all households have experienced a severe weather event in the past 12 months.

More than 4,000 adults across Scotland shared their views on a range of climate-related issues, including transport, nature, preparing for the impacts of climate change and home energy.

The survey found that a third of households (33%) were finding it difficult to afford their energy bills whilst more than four in ten (42%) said they were having to cut back spending on food and other essentials to spend more on energy bills.​

People were also asked about their overall views on climate change and the impact of the transition to net zero. Almost half of adults (46%) reported feeling worried about climate change – with one in ten (11%) saying that their feelings about climate change had a negative effect on them most of the time.