Internet holds key to climate change fight

The survey, carried out by the website Habbo and Greenpeace International, revealed that only 3% of teenagers turn to their friends and family for environmental advice, and only 17% see school as their preferred source of information.

However, more than a third plumped for the internet as the best place to gather and share information about climate change, while 30% chose television.

Nearly 50,000 teens living in 18 countries took part in the online poll, but more than half admitted they do not know how best to tackle climate change.

The organisations behind the survey said the results suggested young people are willing to play their part in saving the environment but are hindered by a lack of readily-available information.

Timo Soininen, chief executive officer of Sulake – the firm that created Habbo, said: “The phenomenal response to the survey really highlights the concern felt by teens around the world and we need to find practical ways to work together and engage our youth to help combat this problem.

“Almost half of those polled thought that joining an online group would be an effective way of rallying like-minded people around issues of global significance.”

Andrew Kerr, deputy chief editor at Greenpeace International, added: “Success in beating climate change depends on the passion, engagement and inventiveness of today’s teenagers.

“Fuelled by information on the net, the strong basis of concern already demonstrated by this survey could become an unstoppable force for delivering solutions to the climate change problem.”

The survey also showed 82% of families switch off the television when it is not being used, but less than half use energy-saving lightbulbs.

Nearly 60% recycle and another 16% of those who do not said they would be willing to change their behaviour to combat climate change.

Kate Martin