Climate change anxiety impacts parents’ decision to have more children: Survey

A recent survey revealed that most parents concerned about climate change say it impacts their decision to have more children.

The survey, published by the technology company HP and conducted by the global business intelligence firm Morning Consult, found that 53% of parents who stated they were concerned about climate change also said it affects their perspective on having more children.

The survey, "Parents and the Planet: How Sustainability Impacts Purchasing Decisions," questioned 5,000 parents from India, Mexico, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States — approximately 1,000 parents from each country.

Parents were asked about their thoughts on climate change and how it impacted various purchasing decisions. It found that parents alter their purchasing, career, and family decisions based on climate change anxiety.

Of the 5,000 surveyed, 91% stated they were "concerned about the climate crisis."

The survey participants expressed being most concerned with rising temperatures, 62%; water shortages, 51%; sea levels, 43%; and weather events, 43%.

"Fathers, in particular in the United States, are at the forefront of expressing concern for climate change. In general, fathers say climate change has affected their perspective on having more children and are more likely to reconsider their employer due its environmental and social issues," the survey said.

A breakdown of the survey results showed that 98% of parents in India are concerned about the climate, 96% in Mexico, 95% in Singapore, 87% in the United Kingdom, and 82% in the United States.

Additionally, 59% of parents in India said climate concerns impact their decision to have more children, 56% in Mexico, 43% in Singapore, 52% in the United Kingdom, and 49% in the United States.

Parents were also asked if climate anxiety influenced their career decisions.

"Among the parents with climate concerns, 43% have reconsidered working for a company due to its commitment to environmental and social issues," it stated.

According to the survey's results, parents prefer to associate with "companies that are taking climate action and believe that corporations must hold themselves accountable for acting to address the climate crisis."

While parents acknowledged an increased cost of living, they said they still preferred to purchase sustainable products, even at higher prices.

"Amidst economic pressures, parents still exhibit a willingness to invest funds in sustainable items. Parents indicated that they are likely to pay more for products if they knew they were more sustainable, ranging from household goods like clothing (75%) and pet supplies (62%) to larger tech purchases like laptops (59%) and cell phones (66%)," the survey reported.

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