Climate change stands as a clear present reality, and tackling it demands broad participation and awareness across society. Yet, a significant portion of people still does not perceive a personal risk or a sense of urgency. This finding comes from the study on sustainable consumption, from intention to action, conducted by Imop Insights, a social research and market studies institute, in collaboration with Impact Hub, the global network of entrepreneurial communities.
Only about a quarter of respondents, 26 percent, believe that climate change will bring very serious impacts on the planet in the near term, while 18 percent expect effects over a longer horizon and think future generations may not fully recognize them.
The study surveyed 2,150 individuals and found that roughly three out of four citizens report taking measures in daily life to counteract global warming. However, a sizable gap remains between awareness or intention and the actual adoption of more sustainable behaviors.
One reason for this gap is the challenge of perceiving climate risk at an individual level. Even when sustainable habits are adopted, the direct benefits of responsible action are not always easy to observe.
During the study presentation, the emphasis was on removing ideological barriers to climate awareness and promoting sustainable behavior.
For 62 percent of those interviewed, sustainability is a personal attitude and a way of life, but sometimes that mindset alone is not enough. Only 30 percent stated they would change habits if there were clear personal benefits, and 8 percent would do so only if required.
Global threat to humans
Experts from the Behavior Analysis Unit at Imop Insight explained that people with psychosocial traits aligned with sustainability can still feel isolated, despite shared values and habits. Society as a whole needs to bridge the contextual gaps that hinder progress toward sustainable development.
Extreme drought is shown as one of the consequences of climate change, illustrating the tangible risks facing communities today.
As one analyst noted, knowledge, discourse, experience, and emotion must align with legislation that fits society’s needs, so those willing to act do not bear excessive personal sacrifice. This alignment would help people see the personal and collective benefits of changing habits.
When asked what aspects might matter most ten years from now, only 16 percent placed climate change at the top of the list. Many prioritized unemployment, working conditions, fees, depreciation, violence, extremism, aging populations, and pensions, with these concerns frequently sharing similar levels of importance.
The climate crisis is described as the greatest global threat to humanity, yet the gap between intention and action remains wide. Leaders from Impact Hub Madrid emphasized the need for a broad, cohesive response from citizens, public administrations, business, and the third sector, along with effective policies to encourage behaviors that mitigate climate impacts and guide the design of future economic and productive processes.
Little altruistic habits
The study identified four basic response patterns among citizens: highly engaged, convinced and aware individuals (30 percent); a substantial share that is pro-sustainability or actively changing habits (39 percent); those who are mostly passive (24 percent); and a small group of unbelievers (7 percent).
It also showed that sustainable actions tend to appear in low-cost forms, such as using reusable bags or buying locally produced foods. In contrast, high-impact changes like choosing sustainable mobility options, avoiding large purchases, or buying second-hand clothing require greater personal effort and sacrifice.
Perceptions about who should lead change persist. Many citizens believe that companies and governments must develop the right technologies and products, and some think sustainable consumption will remain out of reach for much of society, with messaging sometimes appearing contradictory or unstable.
Reference material was published by Impact Hub Madrid and is attributed to the organization, with a broader discussion of sustainable behaviors and the action gap across stakeholders.
Environment department contact information and related notes were provided in the original materials for context, but contact details are not reproduced here.