In Nature we Trust
A study into how Australians relate to nature and what this means for leaders engaging stakeholders in their climate and nature journey
We asked 2,035 Australians what they thought about nature, what they expected governments and businesses to do to protect it, and how they would like to have information communicated to them about it.
The research was conducted by research firm Mobium Group and strategy consultancy POSSIBLE, with technical and subject matter input from climate change advisory and solutions firm Pollination.
Read on for a snapshot of what we found, or contact us to access the full report.
About POSSIBLE
POSSIBLE is a specialist strategy and leadership firm working with global leaders of organisations addressing the biggest opportunities of our time in climate and nature.
About Mobium Group
Mobium is a research firm helping organisations understand and act on Australian consumers’ desire to make healthier, more sustainable consumption choices.
Media coverage
“'Seismic shift’: Younger Australians reject idea humans have right to use nature for own benefit, survey shows”
“We’ve got a new, better educated, very highly motivated set of consumers whose expectations are growing rapidly as the real problem of climate change and nature degradation is hitting home”
Nature is
the key
There is a compelling opportunity for brands to stake out a leading position on nature.
This will require leaders to get clear on their ambition, and to rally their organisation – from the board, to front-line staff, and channel partners to suppliers – around a clear strategy to compete and win in a nature positive world.
Concern for nature is not at the commercial or political fringe in Australian life. It is front and centre. This is because Australians have a deep, intrinsic attachment to nature and want it protected. That care is enduring, and particularly deeply held amongst Gen Z.
94% of Australians told us they enjoy experiencing nature
95% believe nature should be protected for future generations
A seismic shift is happening in how Australians perceive their relationship with the natural world, with younger generations dramatically more supportive of the rights of nature taking priority over the needs of humans.
“The picture painted by this report is of mainstream Australians seeing risks to their lifestyles and livelihoods from inaction on nature, and white space for brands seeking to play a leading role in the shift to nature-positive outcomes.
The best entrepreneurs have already spotted the opportunity, but there is scope for corporate Australia to do much, much more.”
POSSIBLE Founder, Andrew Baker
Australians understand that the deterioration of the natural environment is a risk to Australia’s economy, and that environmental issues are likely to have a greater impact on them and their communities in five years time than they do now.
79% of Australians believe the economy is at risk due to the deterioration of nature, with this sentiment particularly strong among the working age population
79% of Australians are concerned that climate change is contributing to more extreme weather events (e.g. floods, bushfire, drought)
66% of Australians believe the impact of environmental issues will be greater in five years.
Despite their interest and concern, it is clear that most Australians don’t fully appreciate the level of damage done. Organisations must get better at understanding the current state of one of our most important assets, and communicating this with the community.
Most Australians are uninformed when it comes to the level of damage to land and marine environments globally.
There is widespread misunderstanding of even the most high-profile environmental terms such as net zero, and very few have ever heard of terms such as nature positive, circular economy and natural capital.
Net Zero
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Yet only 16% claim to be able to ‘explain it well’ to others
Nature positive
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But just 11% are able to ‘explain it well’ to others
Circular economy
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But only 11% could ‘explain it well’ to others
Natural capital
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Yet just 11% feel confident to ’explain it well’ to others
“In 2008, when Mobium started its community research on sustainability, 88% of respondents said they were sceptical about the environmental claims being made by companies about their products and services. After 15 years that number had reduced only slightly to 85% in 2023.
Consumers remain cynical about such claims and it’s not hard to see why. With so much greenwashing in the marketplace they are finding it difficult to separate genuine commitment from spin. Recent actions by the ACCC against companies making misleading environmental claims highlight the persistence of the issue and the difficulty faced by shoppers in making good decisions.”
Mobium Group Founder, Nick Bez
In the post-pandemic environment, personal financial concerns have risen above other priorities, but Australians still expect government and business to take action. The catch? Scepticism of environmental claims is entrenched, and widespread.
75% of Australian voters will strongly take into account the environmental and climate change policies of the various parties when considering how to vote at the next Federal Election.
For over a decade more than 85% of Australians haven’t trusted business when it comes to the social and environmental claims they make, and mistrust remains high today.
More than 50% of Australians cannot think of an organisation that has a standout reputation for being responsible, sustainable, environmentally friendly or ethical.
Some organisations have been able to differentiate themselves as sustainable and ethical in the minds of many Australians.
The research asked respondents to name brands that they believe have a strong reputation for operating in a responsible, environmentally friendly or sustainable manner. The most nominated companies were:
Woolworths
Coles
Earth Choice
Patagonia
Macro
Tesla
Ikea
Thankyou
Sukin
Planet Ark
Nature offers a fresh lens through which to frame and accelerate action to address corporate risks and opportunities on climate and related issues. Leaders across all functions from the board to the front line have a role to play.
57% of Australians would prefer climate was explained in relation to impacts on nature.
75% of Australians agree that stories about impacts on people and places provide a better way to learn about the environment than science and facts.
For nearly two decades, more than 75% of Australians have said they want clearer information to make informed choices.
There is a compelling opportunity for brands to stake out a leading position on nature. This will require them to get clear on their ambition, and to rally their organisation, from the board to front-line staff, and channel partners to suppliers, around a clear strategy to compete and win in a nature positive world.
With such interest from the community and consumers, the opportunities are enormous, as are the challenges of overcoming the trust barriers of a sceptical public.
After 18 years of research it is clear that the trends identified in this research are not going away.
Nature is here to stay, and the generational markers in this report indicate that it is only going to grow in importance over the coming years.
“Australian companies are ploughing millions of dollars into selling their environmental credentials but in too many cases consumers aren’t buying.
We see a significant opportunity for companies who want to act authentically, earn community trust and fill this consumer confidence and awareness gap.”
Pollination Managing Director, Megan Flynn
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A national quantitative survey was executed to collect an extensive inventory of the values, attitudes, and actions of adult Australians.
• Sample size: 2,035
• Screen: aged 16 – 77 covering four generational cohorts of minimum n=500 each
• Coverage: all States / Metro & Regional
• Question set: > 150 measures
• Data collection: multi-wave data collection process; February – March 2023
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• Boomers – 1946 to 1964
• Gen X – 1965 to 1980
• Millennials – 1981 to 1995
• Gen Z – 1996 to 2013
Note: only 16+ year olds surveyed
Want to know more?
Contact us to access the full report, or to discuss how POSSIBLE can help your organisation engage your board, staff, customers, investors, partners and other stakeholders on your strategy to compete and win in a nature-positive economy.