Key points

Attitudes to climate change:

• In 2023, 74% of adults agreed that ‘climate change is an immediate and urgent problem’. There was no change in this figure between 2022 and 2023. However, the figure maintaining at 74% represents a marked increase from 2013 (46%).
• 84% of adults with a degree or professional qualification believed that ‘climate change is an immediate and urgent problem’ compared to 62% with no qualification.

Visits to the outdoors (national indicator):

• The percentage of adults visiting the outdoors at least weekly increased from 42% in 2012 to 70% in 2022, with a noticeable difference before and after coronavirus (COVID-19) (56% in 2019 jumping to 70% in 2022). There was a slight decrease in this figure between 2022 and 2023 (from 70% to 68%), but visits to the outdoors in 2023 are still markedly higher than pre-COVID-19.
• 37% of adults who reported bad or very bad health visited the outdoors at least weekly compared to 74% of those with good or very good health.

Walking distance to nearest green or blue space (national indicator):

• The percentage of respondents who reported living within a 5-minute walk of their nearest green or blue space was broadly the same between 2022 and 2023 (from 70% to 68%). There was no long-term difference between 2013 and 2023.

Frequency of use of nearest green or blue space:

• The percentage of people using their nearest green or blue space at least several times per week did not change between 2013 and 2019. This figure then increased from 36% in 2019 to 44% in 2023. This may, in part, represent a change in behaviour following the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Adults who live within a 5-minute walk of their nearest green or blue space were much more likely to use it frequently than those who live over 10 minutes’ walk away (53% vs 16%).

Satisfaction with nearest green or blue space:

• 76% of people were very satisfied or fairly satisfied with their nearest green or blue space in 2023. This figure has remained at a similar level over time.
• In the least deprived areas, 82% of adults were satisfied with their nearest green or blue space, compared with 64% of those in the most deprived areas.