From Anger to Activism? How Drivers of Climate Anger Predict Protest Intention and Support

Abstract

This paper discusses findings from a survey (N = 3,003) investigating relationships between climate anger, climate protest intention, and protest support across Norway and Australia. The relationships depended greatly on the specific reasons for climate anger, and the type of protest in question. In both countries, people were most angry about the negative impacts of climate change on nature. However, anger towards nature degradation was negatively related to climate protest participation, and negatively or unrelated to protest support. Anger directed at political inaction was the most consistent predictor of intentions to participate in and support climate protests, with stronger anger associated with greater support for school strikes, non-violent marches, disrupting events, blocking roads, and violent protests, but not support for throwing food or paint at art. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the potential consequences of climate anger while illustrating the importance of accounting for its varied causes.