5: Trust and leadership - Climate Outreach

The document finds that while deep distrust in politicians and institutions affects how climate action is perceived, there remains enduring support among Brits for ambitious climate leadership. People value leaders who are credible, passionate, and empathetic, and who prioritize tangible local benefits and global collective action over a reliance on statistics. The report suggests that climate leadership should be grounded in local contexts and delivered by authentic messengers to overcome disillusionment.

• General societal distrust in politicians and businesses negatively influences how people interpret climate statistics and promises, leading to a perception of "empty promises" and a feeling that leaders are not representative of ordinary people.
• Despite general distrust, there is enduring support for ambitious climate leadership; 62% of Brits believe leaders should maintain their climate promises even when implementation is difficult, while only 38% believe they should break promises to adapt.
• Public trust in climate messengers is driven by three main traits: credibility (e.g., 64% trust those with high-quality experience), passion (e.g., 52% trust those serious about the grave threat), and empathy (e.g., 57% trust those who understand the life of normal Britons). Conversely, membership in a protest or activist group makes people less trusting (37%) than more trusting (18%).
• Brits prioritize specific outcomes from climate leadership, with the highest importance placed on protecting animals and wildlife (86%), followed by developing new technologies (72%), reassuring young people about their futures (71%), and prioritizing British people and industries (70%).
• There is a tension regarding the UK's international role: 39% feel UK climate leadership is the right thing for the world, while 31% view it as a waste of time unless larger emitters like the US and China act. In Wales, 57% specifically feel the idea of the UK as a leader is outdated.
• Public perception of climate progress is hindered by a distrust of statistics; for example, while Brits underestimated the share of UK electricity from renewables at 38% (actual is 51%), focus group participants expressed skepticism that statistics can be "tortured" or "bent" to fit agendas.
• Preferences for climate decision-making vary by region: in Scotland, 46% prefer decisions to come from Holyrood compared to 28% for Westminster, while in Wales, preference is split equally at 35% each for the Senedd and Westminster.

APA

Climate Outreach (2025). 5: Trust and leadership - Climate Outreach. https://climateoutreach.org/btc/2025/report/chapter-5/

Chicago

Climate Outreach. 5: Trust and leadership - Climate Outreach. 2025. https://climateoutreach.org/btc/2025/report/chapter-5/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Outreach |title=5: Trust and leadership - Climate Outreach |date=14 August 2025 |url=https://climateoutreach.org/btc/2025/report/chapter-5/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateoutreach2025trust, author = {{Climate Outreach}}, title = {{5: Trust and leadership - Climate Outreach}}, institution = {Climate Outreach}, year = {2025}, month = aug, url = {https://climateoutreach.org/btc/2025/report/chapter-5/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }