LThe French are not as we imagine them. Thus, one of the greatest contemporary illusions consists of opposing, on the one hand, “climate generation”in search of meaning, resistant to the consumer society and the world of work as we know it, and on the other, selfish boomers, climate skeptics, anxious to be able to continue to consume, work and live today like in the 1980s.
This worldview in many ways may appear practical. It may indeed seem guilt-inducing for those over 50, but imagining that a new generation full of energy is ready to come and clean up after their elders remains comfortable. It’s a great way to delegate thought and action.
But this analysis is completely out of step with French society. And making a false diagnosis does not help us find the best remedies for our ills. The fight against climate change is that of an era, not of a generation, and it can be lost for ideological reasons. Let’s dig deeper into the question of beliefs. Are boomers more climate skeptics than others? This is false.
For 70%, climate change is a scientific fact
Today, climate skepticism “ideological” is rather marginal in France. According to the study “How do the French view the issue of climate change? » (Viavoice, September 2023), only 4% of French people say that there is no climate change. Digging deeper, however, gaps appear regarding the level of knowledge and they offer potential space for fanciful hypotheses.
Thus, 16% of French people believe that climate change is an unverified scientific hypothesis and 10% do not know how to position themselves between the different answers proposed. This results in a total of 70% of the population declaring that climate change is an incontestable scientific fact. As for the others, it would be a caricature to characterize these 30% as climate skeptics, but we will come back to that. At this stage, no trace of generational difference within these results.
After beliefs comes the question of concerns. Are generational differences seen at this level? No. Thus, 80% of French people say they are interested in issues related to climate change and 79% are worried about it, with no notable generational difference.
False generational quarrels
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