The climate movement has long had a problem with class. Many working class people and those from working class backgrounds have experienced classism in these spaces, pushing them to the fringes of a movement that claims to act in everyone's interests. The longer that these problems are left unaddressed, the harder it becomes to build a mass movement capable of progressive change.
By
classism, we mean an individual or group of people being excluded and/or treated as lesser because of their social class. For example, being shamed for their consumption habits, being patronised for not understanding climate jargon, being mocked for their accent, or being judged for the type of work that they do.
The Survey:Despite how well-known these problems are, there has been a broad reluctance to confront classism within the climate movement, and when we searched for examples of policy reports that focused exclusively on this issue in the UK and Ireland, we could not find a single one.
So we decided to change that. This survey is part of a research project led by the Working Class Climate Alliance (WCCA), which will feed into the first ever policy report to focus exclusively on classism and its impact on the climate movement in the UK and Ireland.
We want to hear from all
working class people and those from working class backgrounds who are aged 18 or over, based in the UK or Ireland, and are either currently involved in the climate movement, or have been at any point in the past. Drawing directly on survey responses, the report will lay out the classism people have faced and its effect on how they see the climate movement, alongside what changes would make these spaces inclusive to working class people.
We understand that defining class is not always straightforward. By
working class, we mean someone who grew up on a low income and may still be on one, has little to no assets such as savings or owning a home (economic capital). They have few, if any, connections to people with power and opportunity in society (social capital), and may find it difficult to fit into middle and upper middle class spaces, whose tastes and behavioural expectations are treated as the norm (cultural capital).
Survey Completion and Prize Draw:The survey should take approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete. The survey has three sections: (1) your experiences with classism in the climate movement (2) your ideas for overcoming classism (3) your background.
Everyone who completes the survey will be entered into a prize draw, with 5 respondents winning £50 each (an email address will be required to enter). The prize draw will take place shortly before the report's publication, which is expected to be late January/early February 2027.
Confidentiality and Access:Survey responses will only be accessible to Emma River-Roberts, Director of the WCCA, Kevin Picado, WCCA Staff Writer, and Dr Christopher Shaw, Research Associate at the WCCA. Responses will be anonymised, including if individuals or organisations are directly named in your answers.
Data Storage:All data will be stored and processed in line with our
Privacy Policy and GDPR regulations. Survey responses will be held for 60 days after the report’s publication, then permanently deleted. We will not share your details with any third parties.
