In a study submitted in September 2021, the Pacte laboratory at Sciences Po Grenoble sought to define the profile of individuals involved in the climate movement. Their study highlights the important role played by women and young graduates.

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Conducted between December 2020 and March 2021 on a sample of 10,000 citizens, the study reveals that environmental protection is the main priority for 50% of activists. This is followed by the fight against inequality (14%), democracy (12%), and the fight against poverty and precariousness (9%). Issues of immigration and insecurity lag far behind with only 2%.

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A predominantly female, young, and urban movement

The first finding of the study is the strong feminization of the climate movement, which is 67% female. However, women are more moderate than men in their political engagement. Women are more likely to position themselves as “left-wing” (44%, compared to 37% for men), while men are more likely to position themselves as “very left-wing” (23% compared to 18%). Men are also more likely to support civil disobedience movements (50% compared to 42%) and violent actions (25% compared to 14%).

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The study also shows that women are more affected by climate change. 78% of women have a pessimistic view of the ecological crisis, compared to 72% of men. Finally, 76% of women make the connection between the exploitation of nature and that of patriarchy, which is the spearhead of ecofeminism, compared to only 62% of men.

 

The second element that stands out is the youthfulness of this movement. Fifty percent of participants are under 35, and 25% are between 15 and 24. Conversely, those over 50 make up only 18% of the profiles. The Pacte study shows that the climate movement stands out from traditional political and social movements, which are generally dominated by more male and older populations. However, it explains that this greater mobilization among younger people is partly due to the fact that most of them were born with environmental concerns, while older activists had more difficulty in their day in mobilizing the public on climate risks.

 

Finally, the climate movement is characterized by an extremely well-educated and predominantly urban population. 80% of members have a post-baccalaureate degree, and 50% have a master's degree. These rates rise to 85% and 54% respectively if we exclude participants who are not yet old enough to obtain their High School diploma.

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In terms of location, nearly half of respondents live in cities, a quarter live in small suburban towns, and the remaining quarter live in rural areas. The study shows an overrepresentation of members living in “ideopoles,” which it defines as “attractive regional metropolises integrated into globalized economic networks, whose populations are involved in the evolution of the knowledge economy.”

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A desire to take action in the face of the climate crisis

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This integration into knowledge-sharing spaces means that members of the climate movement are more willing to take action to preserve the environment.

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While 90% of climate activists and all French people sort their waste, more than 90% of the former have also signed a climate petition, which is three times more than the latter. They are also more inclined to consume organic products (80% versus 45%). Finally, 50% of climate activists are willing to give up their cars, compared to only 30% of French people.

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This desire for action illustrates the sense of urgency felt by activists and supporters in the face of the climate crisis. 85% believe that “civilization as we know it will collapse in the coming years,” while only 39% think that “our society has the collective capacity to respond to the ecological crisis in time.”

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In response, many want to get involved with environmental organizations. Thirty percent say they feel close to the NGO Greenpeace, 25% to the Extinction Rebellion movement, and nearly 15% to Oxfam. However, the laboratory qualifies this ranking. The support of activists can be explained in part by the “level of awareness” of these organizations, which is more related to their media exposure than to the causes they defend.

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Nevertheless, the activists' commitment illustrates their desire to involve citizens more in the democratic debate. In particular, they want to enable civil society to propose laws and referendums, which would then be followed by consultations with citizen groups and votes by elected officials.