Those in emerging economies are especially likely to feel more positive about our ability to solve climate change. And the most optimistic countries include Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Mexico, India, Peru and South Africa.

It also turns out that only 4% of people believe that the earth’s climate isn’t changing. It seems denial is dead. But there’s a new enemy in town: climate fatalism.

Climate fatalism is the belief that humanity can do nothing to stop climate change. Fourteen percent of people globally believe this to be the case. With young people aged 16-35 the most likely to be fatalists. Perhaps it’s because the majority of us are surrounded by messages of climate change doom and gloom. Sixty one percent of survey respondents said they hear much more about the negative impacts of climate change than they do about progress on reducing it.

So, why is fatalism so bad? Fatalism leads to apathy and inaction. So, if we are to solve climate change, we’ve got to believe we can do it.

Throughout history, optimism and the belief that we can change things, have proven to be essential. We’ve eradicated diseases, overcome injustices and even got to the moon and back because enough of us believed that we could. Solving climate change is no different. Optimism leads to positive action.

That’s exactly what the Climate Optimist campaign is all about. It’s time to be vocally optimistic about our belief that we can fix this. We’re aiming to raise awareness of the solutions to climate change and to shift the dominant narrative so that we can combat fatalism about our future.

Here’s what you can do:

• Opt in as a Climate Optimist, and share your belief that we can solve this.
• Take climate action in your own life, by doing things that will make you healthier and happier.
• Shine a light on solutions. Find out about the amazing progress already happening.

Solving climate change starts with the belief that we can.