A groundbreaking survey has uncovered deep-seated concerns about climate change are significantly influencing reproductive decisions in Australia, with women expressing far greater hesitation about having children than men.
The Climate Anxiety Gender Divide
The comprehensive research, commissioned by Professor Clive Hamilton of Charles Sturt University and conducted by Roy Morgan Research, polled a nationally representative sample of 2,000 people about their attitudes toward global heating. The findings reveal a striking disparity between genders when it comes to family planning in the face of environmental uncertainty.
Among non-parents surveyed, 40.4% of women reported being moderately or very hesitant about having children because of the changing climate. In stark contrast, only 17% of men (approximately one in six) shared these reservations.
Professor Hamilton suggests this significant difference points to a gendered calculus of risk, noting that values of care make women more receptive to scientific warnings about environmental dangers.
Political Divides in Climate Perception
The survey uncovered substantial variations in climate concern across political affiliations. Labor, Greens and independent voters were three times more likely to express high levels of concern about climate change compared with conservative Coalition voters.
Perhaps most strikingly, more than a third of Coalition voters believed the climate would not change at all, reflecting deep political divisions in environmental awareness.
Among existing parents, the research found that three in five Labor voters expressed high concern about their children's future in a changing climate, compared to just one in five Coalition voters.
Broader Implications for Australian Society
The survey indicates that half of Australians feel very or extremely concerned about climate change, while two in five believe the climate will be much hotter by 2050. Professor Hamilton warns that these rising anxiety levels could potentially contribute to a decline in Australia's birth rate.
There's a massive disconnect between conversations among young people about having children and government discussions about Australia's demographic future, Hamilton emphasised. This survey shows that this is an issue that can't be ignored.
The findings align with earlier research, including a 2019 Australian Conservation Foundation survey that found one in three Australian women under 30 were reconsidering having children because of climate change concerns.
Interestingly, the study discovered that living through extreme weather events had only a small effect on climate change concern. Professor Iain Walker, a social psychologist at the University of Melbourne, explained that people interpret weather events through their existing beliefs, with climate change acceptors seeing confirmation and sceptics finding alternative explanations.
