Gen Z Sounding the Alarm on Water, Climate Change

A new poll from Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation reveals widespread concern among Gen Z about water issues and climate change, with over a third fearing they’ll need to relocate due to environmental impacts. The poll, part of a larger report on Gen Z’s climate perspectives due out in the coming months, highlights the generation’s deep worry about the future of water resources.

“Gen Z have been seeing water, and water and climate their whole lives,” said Moira Mcdonald, program director for the Environment Program at the Walton Family Foundation. “Their lives have essentially been punctuated by these big moments — the Gulf oil spill back in 2010, the Flint, Michigan, drinking water crisis with lead in the water. They had everyday exposure to the rising seas and warming ocean issue the last few years.”

The poll found that 73% of Gen Zers who anticipate moving due to climate change attribute it to water issues, such as pollution, flooding risks, lack of clean water, and drought. Additionally, 31% of Gen Z are concerned about clean water scarcity, 72% worry about waterway pollution, and 66% are anxious about the health of fish and oceans.

The poll also revealed a strong sense of accountability among voting-age Gen Zers, with 88% believing politicians are responsible for addressing water issues related to climate change.

Stevie O’Hanlon, communications director for the youth-led climate advocacy organization Sunrise Movement, emphasized the urgency felt by young people: “We have seen a climate change before our eyes for essentially our entire lives, and we look on to a future when we are the age of people like Joe Biden and Donald Trump with a lot of fear about what’s going to happen in the next 50 years. Young people are demanding real action from politicians to stop the climate crisis and protect our rights to clean air and water.”

While climate change has not topped the polls as a key issue for all age groups in the 2024 election cycle, experts believe its importance will grow as Gen Z enters the electorate in greater numbers. Holly Burke, senior communications director for Evergreen Action, pointed to the influence of young activists in pushing for climate action investments, including the Inflation Reduction Act.

Researchers found that concerns about climate change and water resources extend across the political spectrum. Eighty-two percent of voting-age Gen Z Republicans and 96% of Democrats believe politicians and governments are responsible for improving water quality.

Burke acknowledged the historical partisan divide on climate issues but suggested a shift among young conservatives. “I can’t imagine that Republicans are going to immediately come around to the kind of bold climate solutions that I’m looking for, but I would love to have them at the table in a real discussion about how we can reduce emissions and things we can agree on to get done.”

Organizations like the American Conservation Coalition (ACC), which represents young conservative voices on climate issues, are working to engage the Republican Party in addressing the climate crisis. Karly Matthews, ACC’s vice president of communications, noted the historical presence of environmental conservation in the Republican Party, suggesting that climate change has become a polarizing issue.

“Organizations like ACC that represent young conservatives who care about this issue send a pretty clear signal to our leaders that this is an issue that will continue to be really important,” Matthews said. “But I also think there’s a really rich history of environmental conservation in the conservative movement, in the Republican Party, and that was kind of not emphasized as much or lost a little bit when climate change became kind of this polarizing topic.”

The poll, conducted online between August 6-14, surveyed 2,832 individuals aged 12 to 27, with a sampling error of +/- 2.9 points.