The Swedish activist is known to every third Russian. The topic and emotional content of her activism inspire respect but her aggressive attitude and young age are perceived as suspicious and repulsing.
MOSCOW, October 16, 2019. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a survey describing the attitudes of Russians towards Greta Thunberg and her activism.
Greta Thunberg, a young environmental activist from Sweden, is known to 37% of Russians. Those respondents who heard of her are more likely Russians aged 45-59 and persons aged 60 and over (45% and 40% respectively), as well as every second metropolitan resident (56%). However, more than half of respondents heard her name for the first time during the survey (63%).
What do Russians know about Greta Thunberg? She is mainly known as an environmental activist (40%). Eleven percent of respondents are aware that she delivered a speech at the UN; 9% are confident she is not independent in her activity. Seven percent know her to have met politicians and delivered speeches at press conferences.
As to the feelings Great Thunberg evokes in Russians, indifference is dominant (13%; negative emotions (12%) prevail over the positive ones (11%).
Forty percent of Russians who heard of G. Thunberg perceive her positively; one-third of respondents are indifferent (31%); 27% have negative perceptions. Positive perceptions are mainly related to the fact that G. Thunberg is involved in environmental activities and tries to attract more attention to the issue (74%). Negative perceptions result from a viewpoint that children of your age should go to school rather than being involved in environmental activity (37%), or that she is not an independent activist (33%).
Of those who heard of G.Thunberg, 43% saw her speeches and consider them important; 16% consider them unimportant; 34% have not seen her speeches at all. As to the emotional side of the young activist, those Russians who saw her speeches are divided in their opinions: 45% say her aggressive attitude is inappropriate; 41% say her aggressive behavior means that she is involved, and it is acceptable. Most of those who heard of G.Thunberg would not like their children or grandchildren to follow her steps (75%).
Most of Russians who heard of G.Thunberg consider that she does not fully understand the consequences of her activism and that she is influenced by other people (67%). According to 43% of those who heard of G.Thunberg, her speeches will not do either good or harm to the planet. Another one-third of Russians say that her activity is likely to be useful (27%). Almost half of respondents (47%) are likely to think that Thunberg and her supporters will not be able to change the situation on the planet for the better; 26% are confident in that.
VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on October 10, 2019. The survey involved 1,600 Russians aged 18 and over. The survey was telephone-based and carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
Have you heard/do you hear for the first time about Greta Thunberg and her activity? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||
| Total | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and over |
I am well aware | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
I heard something but I do not know any details | 19 | 10 | 14 | 16 | 24 | 21 |
I only know her name; I know nothing about her activity | 11 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 12 |
This is the first time I hear her name | 63 | 77 | 70 | 67 | 55 | 59 |
Don’t know | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Have you heard/do you hear for the first time about Greta Thunberg and her activity? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | |||||||
| Total | Moscow and St Petersburg | Million cities | 500-950,000 inhabitants | 100,000–500,000 inhabitants | Less than 100,000 inhabitants | Rural area |
I am well aware | 7 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 3 |
I heard something but I do not know any details | 19 | 30 | 27 | 19 | 24 | 14 | 10 |
I only know her name; I know nothing about her activity | 11 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 9 |
This is the first time I hear her name | 63 | 43 | 51 | 66 | 56 | 70 | 78 |
Don’t know | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What is Greta Thunberg famous for; what do you know about her activity? | |
| Total |
Environmental activist / struggling for environment and climate | 40 |
UN speech | 11 |
Not independent; she is being exploited by others | 9 |
Speeches at press conferences, meetings with politicians | 7 |
Minor / 16-year-old girl from Sweden | 6 |
Tough statements, criticism, accusations addressed to global leaders | 5 |
Mentally ill child | 4 |
She is calling for school striking (missing lessons) | 4 |
She is busy with things she is not good at | 3 |
Her statement about the stolen childhood and future | 2 |
I know little about her | 1 |
She urges not to fly airplanes | 1 |
Other | 4 |
Don’t know | 30 |
Greta Thunberg is a Swedish schoolgirl and environmental activist. What feelings does she evoke in you? (open-ended question, up to 3 answers, % of those who heard about Greta Thunberg — 37%) | |
| Total |
Indifference, no emotions | 13 |
Negative emotions | 12 |
Positive emotions | 11 |
Not independent; someone uses her | 10 |
Pity | 10 |
Children of your age should not deal with things like that; she cannot understand many things due to her age | 6 |
Admiration (good girl) | 5 |
Ill girl | 4 |
I support her ideas / positive attitude towards her activity | 4 |
Neutral attitude | 3 |
Compassion | 3 |
Ambiguous feelings | 3 |
A girl for promotion | 2 |
I do not support her ideas / methods of struggle | 2 |
Perplexity | 2 |
Other | 4 |
Don’t know | 24 |
Greta Thunberg publicly voices her stance on environmental problems, climate change; she meets politicians, top public officials. How do you perceive her activity? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of those who heard about Greta Thunberg — 37%) | |
| Total |
Likely positively | 40 |
Likely negatively | 27 |
Indifferent | 31 |
Don’t know | 2 |
Why do you have a positive perception? (open-ended question, up to 3 answers, % of those who heard about Greta Thunberg and perceive her activity positively — 15%) | |
| Total |
She is busy with environmental issues; she tries to attract attention to this problem | 74 |
She pursues her goal; she expresses her opinion | 12 |
Someone has to talk about that and do something | 6 |
Active position; struggling for the future | 4 |
She has found an interesting thing to do | 1 |
Other | 6 |
Don’t know | 8 |
Why do you have a negative perception? (open-ended question, up to 3 answers, % of those who heard about Greta Thunberg and perceive her activity negatively — 10%) | |
| Total |
Children of her age should go to school; due to her age she does not know many things and does not understand environmental problems | 37 |
Not independent; someone uses her (adult games) | 33 |
Minor / 16-year-old girl; she does not understand what she does | 16 |
I dislike the way she expresses her thoughts and ideas | 9 |
It is a “grandstand play”, publicity move | 8 |
Ill girl | 6 |
It is impossible to solve environmental problems; her actions do not mean anything | 5 |
I do not like her personality (ventures, destructive behavior) | 3 |
No trust | 2 |
Other | 7 |
Don’t know | 5 |
In your opinion, does Greta Thunberg raise important or not important problems? If it is hard for you to assess or you have not seen her speeches, just tell that. (closed-ended question, one answer , % of those who heard about Greta Thunberg — 37%) | |
| Total |
Likely important | 43 |
Likely not important | 16 |
I have no seen the speeches of Greta Thunberg | 34 |
Don’t know | 7 |
Greta Thunberg is very emotional. Some people say that her behavior is too aggressive and inappropriate. Others say that her behavior is a sign of personal involvement and quite acceptable. Which of these opinions do you most agree with? (closed-ended question, one answer , % of those who heard about Greta Thunberg and saw her speeches — 24%) | |
| Total |
Greta Thunberg is too aggressive; it is not appropriate | 45 |
The behavior of Greta Thunberg means that she is involved; it is quite acceptable | 41 |
Don’t know | 14 |
Which of the statements about the activity of Greta Thunberg do you agree with the most? (closed-ended question, one answer , % of those who heard about Greta Thunberg — 37%) | |
| Total |
Greta Thunberg acts according to her beliefs; she understands quite well the consequences of her actins | 16 |
She does not quite understand the consequences of her actions; she in influenced by other people who pursue their own interest | 67 |
Don’t know | 17 |
In your opinion, will the activities of environmental activists such as Greta Thunberg help solve global environmental problems, or will they do more harm? (closed-ended question, one answer , % of those who heard about Greta Thunberg — 37%) | |
| Total |
They will do more good | 27 |
They will do more harm | 10 |
Equally harm and good | 13 |
Neither harm nor good | 43 |
Don’t know | 7 |
In your opinion, are Greta Thunberg and her supporters able to change the situation concerning the climate change and ecology on Earth? (closed-ended question, one answer , % of those who heard about Greta Thunberg — 37%) | |
| Total |
They are definitely able to do that | 1 |
They are likely to be able to do that | 19 |
They are unlikely to be able to do that | 47 |
They are definitely not able to do that | 26 |
Don’t know | 7 |
Would you like your children/grandchildren to follow the steps of Greta Thunberg? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of those who heard about Greta Thunberg — 37%) | |
| Total |
Rather yes | 14 |
Rather not | 75 |
Don’t know | 11 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory.