Free Presbyterians are most sceptical about climate crisis facing the planet, according to survey
Seanín Graham
Thu Sept 18 2025 – 00:01
Catholics are more likely to be concerned about climate change than Protestants in Northern Ireland, with Presbyterians having the “lowest trust” in scientists, according to new research.
Social scientists from Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University found the link between religion and attitudes to climate change in the North reflected broader international patterns.
Regular attendance at religious services was associated with “more scepticism” in relation to to humans causing climate change.
The research was published in the Northern Ireland Life and Times (NILT) Survey and the authors called for urgent engagement with religious communities to address the issue.
Just under half of Presbyterians (47 per cent) who took part in the study agreed that scientific experts can be trusted to tell the truth about climate change, “echoing patterns associated with evangelical Protestantism elsewhere”.
Catholics were the “most concerned” about climate change, the most likely to attribute it to human causes, and the most trusting of scientific expertise, “findings that may be influenced by global Catholic leadership on ecological issues”.
Within Protestantism there was a divergence in views.
Presbyterians were found to be more sceptical than Church of Ireland members, while those of no religion and Catholics agreed most with statements on the need for action.
The research also found that those raised in a religion but no longer identifying with it expressed greater concern about climate change.
The information is based on the NILT Survey of 2024, which polled 1,199 people including 383 respondents who identified as Catholic, 193 as Presbyterian and 144 as Church of Ireland. The category “others” encapsulated smaller denominations as well as non-Christian faiths.
[ Here’s a job for the next pope. Deliver us from climate apathyOpens in new window ]
The people most “personally worried” were non-believers (78 per cent), followed by Catholics (77 per cent), Church of Ireland (69 per cent), Presbyterians (53 per cent) and others (52 per cent).
Researchers found that 80 per cent of Catholics and no religion surveyed thought politicians should be doing more about climate change, compared to 65 per cent of Presbyterians.
Co-author Dr Jonny Hanson, from the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work at Queen’s said the research pointed to the need for “moral leadership” from religious communities.
“Climate change is a defining issue of our time. There is therefore an urgent need for engagement with religious communities to address climate change in Northern Ireland and beyond,” he said.
“But the timing is good – the Presbyterian Church in Ireland is hosting a major conference at the end of September here in Belfast entitled ‘God’s world – our responsibility?’ It will hopefully see much discussion and leadership on some of these very important issues.”
Professor Gladys Ganiel from Queen’s, another co-author, said the findings highlighted “the importance of considering faith perspectives in climate debates and policymaking”.
by pickneyboy3000
27 comments
Just had a similar post removed by mods. Not sure why.
Being environmentally conscious is often referred to as being green.
If it was referred to as orange, however…
> author is “Seanín Graham”
Guys I don’t know about you but I have theories….
But what about protestant climate change?… :0
WOKE POPE Crew
Obvious this is a click-baity title but I think the main driver of the difference will be education.
No joke someone once said to me that they don’t like the “green” bit of the Green Party – referring to how green must mean republican.
They’re not well
Nobody would be surprised if research showed that the non religious are more concerned about climate change than the religious.
But in Northern Ireland there’s a very sticky complication: cultural Catholicism.
If someone identifies as Presbyterian (not just Protestant), you can be almost certain they mean active religious belief. If someone identifies as Catholic, it could just as easily refer to cultural background as to active religious practice.
The survey clearly collected data on service attendance (since they could link it to climate scepticism), but they haven’t shown that breakdown by denomination. Without it, you can’t tell how much of the Catholic “concern” comes from cultural Catholics versus devout attenders.
My hunch is that differences would remain even among the devout, but as presented, the research doesn’t actually demonstrate that. Anyone publishing in Northern Ireland should be aware of this limitation – leaving it unaddressed makes the communication sloppy.
How can anyone be concerned about climate when there are big issues like flegs to occupy your head.
Some of them don’t think dinosaurs existed and wanted a “god did it” section at the giants causeway exhibit. It’s not a stretch to think this could be true also.
Atheists need to replace the hole of meaning in their life and cling onto various social causes to do so. Climate change activists often come across very cultist even more indoctrinated in their new religion than hardcore christians.
Cuz they more woke
Same with dinosaurs and evolution. Christian fundamentalist groups have never been known for their ability to distinguish facts from fiction. Their whole existence depends on wilful ignorance.
Not even 9am and the sub already enjoying some “Catholics good, Prods bad” fun. Lovely.
Seriously is the first thing that comes to people’s mind not, who the heck funded this research…how did this even get through. Should we do the official test to see if Catholics/Protestants see themselves more like a cup or a plate while we are at it.
Well Catholics in NI are better educated than their Protestant counterparts so this is no surprise.
Do we need to stoke sectarianism first thing in the morning?
Catholics are also more likely to go to prison
My experience of this place is that the majority of both communities don’t give a fuck about climate change. We’re likely talking about a percentage point or 2 from a small demographic. Most of us are concerned about Loch Neagh but beyond that nobody cares. The way we vote is decided by religion with climate waaaaayyyyy down the list.
Sure they know they’ll be fine, seeing as NI is becoming a _Cold House for Protestantism_ …
A new addition to the Derry Girls Blackboard.
The DUP in Ards and North Down recently shot down a council motion calling for votes for 16/17 year olds because in their words, letting kids vote would ‘ruin their childhood’
Unionism relies on ignorance to maintain its grip on power and in their communities.
https://newtownardschronicle.co.uk/council-rejects-call-to-lower-voting-age/
They’re more likely to have the doomsday-is-soon type beliefs that jesus is coming back within their lifetime.
In that case, why worry about something that’s 30 years away. I’ll be in heaven then.
I blame the free roaming toasters
Unionism/Loyalism bends more towards right-wing and American-style Conservative views, so not entirely surprising they’re more susceptible to climate change denialism.
Honestly the sectarian headline is shite, people from both sides equally getting fucked by the richest, and they scapegoat anyone but the people who are fucking do it all – rich dirty captialists.
Am I correct in thinking Free Presbyterians believe the world is only 5000 years old?
If that’s the case then there is no way they will believe there was an ice age 100,000+ years ago
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