Green, sustainable, net-zero: Study finds majority of Brits don’t understand key climate terminology

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🗞️ Driving the news: A study by Trajectory and Fleet Street reveals that a majority of Brits struggle with understanding climate crisis language. Only a quarter know what ‘green’ means, and similar numbers are unclear about ‘sustainable’
• Key terms like ‘environmentally friendly’ and ‘locally grown’ are poorly understood, impacting comprehension of government policies and sustainability initiatives.

🔭 The context: This confusion over terminology extends to government actions, such as the single-use plastic ban, with less than half confidently understanding terms like ‘single-use plastics’
• The study indicates a significant gap between brand language and consumer understanding, particularly around terms like ‘net zero’ and ‘environmentally friendly’.

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The lack of understanding hinders effective communication and engagement in environmental initiatives
• This gap can lead to consumer disengagement, negatively impacting efforts to promote sustainability and combat the climate crisis.

⏭️ What's next: The study suggests a need for clearer, more accessible language to bridge the understanding gap. This could lead to more effective consumer engagement in sustainability and environmental policies, potentially driving more impactful actions against climate change.

💬 One quote: "Work needs to be done to engage consumers, starting with the language used, as much of it doesn’t appear to mean much to them," says Mark Stretton, co-founder of Fleet Street.

📈 One stat: Only 11% of the surveyed Brits understood what ‘carbon offsetting’ meant, a key method for businesses to achieve net zero goals.

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