Executive summary: A new study examining Gen Z’s attitudes towards animals and the environment across the U.S., Indonesia, Thailand, and China finds strong environmental concerns, a preference for eco-friendly products, and a focus on companion and wild animals over farmed animals, with significant cultural differences shaping their views and actions.
Key points:
Strong environmental concerns: 93% of Gen Z respondents expressed concern for environmental and animal protection, with 86% preferring sustainable products and 84% altering behaviors to support these causes.
Cultural differences in perceptions: Asian respondents were more likely than U.S. respondents to believe their societies are doing enough for environmental and animal welfare, with Indonesians emphasizing education, Chinese citing cultural attitudes, and Americans focusing on corporate and systemic factors.
Limited focus on farmed animals: While Gen Z supports animal protection, their concerns primarily center on companion and wild animals, with farmed animals rarely mentioned, especially in Asian countries.
Action tends to be harm-reduction rather than proactive: Most behavioral changes involve recycling and reducing plastic use, with only a minority engaging in advocacy, volunteering, or activism.
Motivations for action vary: Environmental concerns are often framed in human-centric terms (protecting future generations), while animal-related actions are more focused on benefits to the animals themselves.
Barriers to action are practical and emotional, not ideological: Financial constraints and feelings of helplessness are the main obstacles, rather than a lack of belief in these causes, suggesting advocacy should focus on removing these barriers.
Recommendations for advocacy: Strategies should be culturally tailored, shift narratives from individual action to systemic change, and expand animal welfare discussions to include farmed animals, integrating them into broader environmental sustainability efforts.
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Executive summary: A new study examining Gen Z’s attitudes towards animals and the environment across the U.S., Indonesia, Thailand, and China finds strong environmental concerns, a preference for eco-friendly products, and a focus on companion and wild animals over farmed animals, with significant cultural differences shaping their views and actions.
Key points:
Strong environmental concerns: 93% of Gen Z respondents expressed concern for environmental and animal protection, with 86% preferring sustainable products and 84% altering behaviors to support these causes.
Cultural differences in perceptions: Asian respondents were more likely than U.S. respondents to believe their societies are doing enough for environmental and animal welfare, with Indonesians emphasizing education, Chinese citing cultural attitudes, and Americans focusing on corporate and systemic factors.
Limited focus on farmed animals: While Gen Z supports animal protection, their concerns primarily center on companion and wild animals, with farmed animals rarely mentioned, especially in Asian countries.
Action tends to be harm-reduction rather than proactive: Most behavioral changes involve recycling and reducing plastic use, with only a minority engaging in advocacy, volunteering, or activism.
Motivations for action vary: Environmental concerns are often framed in human-centric terms (protecting future generations), while animal-related actions are more focused on benefits to the animals themselves.
Barriers to action are practical and emotional, not ideological: Financial constraints and feelings of helplessness are the main obstacles, rather than a lack of belief in these causes, suggesting advocacy should focus on removing these barriers.
Recommendations for advocacy: Strategies should be culturally tailored, shift narratives from individual action to systemic change, and expand animal welfare discussions to include farmed animals, integrating them into broader environmental sustainability efforts.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, and contact us if you have feedback.