7 out of 10 UK parents want more knowledge on how we can fight climate change

61% of UK parents surveyed want to talk more about how to fight climate change with their children, and almost half (45%) are being asking questions about climate change by their children.

To support parents in these challenges and facilitate conversations, Ørsted is launching a free digital children’s book – Is This My Home? – with illustrations by award-winning South Korean illustrator Yeji Yun. The e-book is available from Apple Books and the Kindle Store, and is also downloadable as a PDF. The online video version of the book, and the e-book, are narrated by Lily Cole.

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) most recent Special Report warns that we have just 12 years to limit the extent of catastrophic climate change. Ørsted believes that inspiring children is a key factor in responding to this challenge.

Matthew Wright, UK Managing Director at Ørsted, said:

“We can already see the extreme effects of climate change and we need a green industrial revolution that is unprecedented in size and scale to address this. At Ørsted, we see green energy as a reason for optimism in the face of this profound challenge.

“Crucially, our study shows that parents in the UK are engaged, with 61% wanting to talk more about how we can tackle climate change with their children. Our book launch is aimed at helping parents and children have positive conversations and make green decisions that will impact all of our futures.”

Facts about the book and the online universe

The free digital book, created as a joint effort by Ørsted and creative partner Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, centres around a little girl travelling around the world in search for the answer to the question “is this my home?”. The book showcases through the eyes of the girl and all the animals she meets, that we all share the same home, Planet Earth, and that we must take care of it and protect it.

Is This My Home? is aimed at children aged 5-8. It is available for free as an illustrated digital audiobook in four languages and can be downloaded from within the online universe at www.orsted.com/book.

The online universe is aimed at parents and contains:

• Tips on how to talk to children about climate change in a way that fits their age
• Answers to difficult questions on climate change
• Tips on what can be done within the family to help prevent these changes and how children can find relief in taking green action in their everyday lives.

Facts about the survey:

• The survey was conducted on behalf of Ørsted by Mano & Audience Project among parents with children aged 5-10 in Denmark, Germany, Holland, United Kingdom and USA.
• There were 494 respondents in the UK.

Highlights from UK survey results:

• Percentage of parents who are worried about their child/children’s future: 79%
• Percentage of parents whose child/children ask questions about climate change: 45%
• Percentage of parents who would like to talk more about how we can fight climate change with their child/children: 61%
• Percentage of parents who would like to access more knowledge on how we can fight climate change: 71%
• Percentage of parents who say the reason they do not talk more often about climate change with their child/children is due to not having enough knowledge on the subject: 52%

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About Ørsted 

The Ørsted vision is a world that runs entirely on green energy. Ørsted develops, constructs and operates offshore wind farms, bioenergy plants and innovative waste-to-energy solutions and provides smart energy products to its customers. Headquartered in Denmark, Ørsted employs 5,800 people, including over 900 in the UK. Ørsted's shares are listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen (Orsted). In 2017, the group's revenue was DKK 59.5 billion (EUR 8.0 billion). For more information on Ørsted, visit orsted.co.uk or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.