According to the findings of a new survey conducted by the humanitarian organization Catholic Relief Services, Hispanics and Catholics are among those who are most concerned regarding the effects of climate change while millennials and Gen Z are more likely to engage in collective action concerning the issue. As compared to 79% of non-Catholics who expressed concern regarding the climate, 85% of Catholics displayed their concern regarding the same. Moreover, American Catholics are five times more likely to say that climate change calls for shared responsibility when compared to non-Catholics. The study further revealed that as compared to 76% of White respondents and 86% of Black respondents, 92% of Hispanic respondents were most troubled regarding climate change. Further, 87% of millennials and 84% of Gen Z are more likely to express concerns regarding climate change’s impacts in the U.S. as compared to 76% of Gen X.
Religion News Service reports:
(RNS) — Catholics and Hispanics are among the most concerned in the U.S. about the impact of climate change, with Gen Z and millennials more likely to take collective action on the matter, according to a new survey commissioned by the international humanitarian agency Catholic Relief Services.
While a majority of Americans (81%) are very or somewhat concerned about the impact of climate change in the U.S., Hispanics (92%) were among the most worried about it, compared with Black (86%) and white (76%) respondents.
Gen Z (84%) and millennials (87%) are more likely than Gen X (76%) to voice concerns about the impact of climate change in the U.S.
When factoring in faith, more Catholics (85%) expressed concern about the effects of climate change in the U.S. than non-Catholic respondents (79%).
Additionally, American Catholics were found to be five times more likely to express that climate change is a shared responsibility than their non-Catholic counterparts — a finding that resonated with Bill O’Keefe, who is Catholic Relief Services’ executive vice president of mission, mobilization and advocacy.
“I’m not surprised by that given our church teaching about the common good, and our care for the poor, and our Holy Father’s leadership, in connecting through ‘Laudato Si’,’ the care for our environment and care for vulnerable human beings,” O’Keefe said in a virtual news conference on Tuesday (Oct. 4), when the survey’s findings were released.
“The gospel calls us to care for creation,” O’Keefe added.
Conducted online Aug. 24-30 this year, the survey included 2,009 U.S. adults. The results were analyzed in total as well as by generation, region, race/ethnicity and religious affiliation (Catholic vs. non-Catholic). About 1 in 4 survey participants (24%) described their religious affiliation as Catholic. The survey’s report did not provide a breakdown of the participants’ varying faiths, aside from Catholicism, and how that corresponded with their responses.
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