XR Scotland survey 2025: the results are in
February 18, 2025
At the start of the year, XR Scotland did a short survey to get some insight and thoughts from our followers. Here’s what you told us.
First of all, a huge thanks to those who completed the survey and gave us your thoughts. It turned out to be an interesting way of hearing from you, as limited as it was.
Question 1: What shall we focus our actions on in 2025?
| Variable | Strongly agree | Agree | Disagree | Strongly disagree |
| Rosebank | 48% | 45% | 8% | 4% |
| Fossil Fuel Industry | 46% | 45% | 8% | 1% |
| Money | 44% | 49% | 6% | 1% |
| Scottish Parliament Free of Fossil Fuel Lobbyists | 54% | 39% | 4% | 3% |
| Insurance | 31% | 55% | 12% | 2% |
| Proposed Gas Expansion at Peterhead Power Station | 47% | 44% | 8% | 1% |
| Biodiversity | 51% | 40% | 7% | 2% |
| Aberdeen | 12% | 58% | 26% | 3% |
All these issues are important as some of you pointed out. However, the clear favourite was focusing on the influence of fossil fuel lobbyists on the Scottish Parliament. It’s an issue that has been troubling XRS rebels for some time. It links in with the Scottish Government’s failure to reduce emissions and the proposals to expand gas facilities and introduce carbon storage at Peterhead Power Station.
Biodiversity was another favourite. There’s no doubt that our actions over the last few years tend to focus on the climate crisis. This will need further thought, but it’s worth pointing out that many XRS rebels are also involved in other groups working on biodiversity, planting trees and litter picks.
The surprise was insurance being less popular. Putting pressure on the insurance industry is a way of hurting fossil fuels projects that can’t operate without insurance. It’s part of a global campaign that has secured victories and prevented some carbon bomb projects getting off the ground. Perhaps there’s a view we’ve done as much as we can.
Other (excellent) suggestions included:
- Strathclyde Pension Fund
- UK home insulation
- energy industry greenwashing
- industrial agriculture
- international ecocide
- solidarity with global south
- food
- democracy
Question 2: What are the reasons that make it difficult for you to get involved?
| Option | % |
| I don’t want to risk getting arrested | 25 |
| I am worried about what my family or friends might think | 1.7 |
| I don’t know how to get involved | 11 |
| I don’t know anybody | 12 |
| I don’t have time | 30 |
| I don’t know about events happening early enough | 22 |
| Other | See comments below |
This question gave us some interesting insights. The biggest barrier to getting involved is time (30%). We totally get this. Many of you don’t have the time because of work, family and commitments to other activist or volunteering groups.
The next biggest barrier (25%) is the fear of getting arrested. This is understandable with the harsh reaction of the UK government to peaceful environmental protest. One person told us that if the situation in Scotland is different, we need to explain it. It is different, at the moment, so explain we shall. In anycase, most of XR Scotland’s work and action is not about getting arrested. This is something we can work on with our messaging over the next couple of months.
22% of you said that the next biggest reason was not knowing events were happening early enough. For obvious reasons, we can’t give advanced warning for many of our direct actions.
Another limit are geographical constraints, especially for those of you living away from the cities or the central belt. We were also sorry to hear that many of you are suffering from burn out, issues of ageing health issues and despondency. Some of you said that despite all this, you still wanted to be involved, even if you can’t make the actions. There are things we can do to help people get involved in actions from home or online.
We also note that 11% of you don’t know how to get involved and 12% don’t know anyone to help them get involved. It can be daunting trying to get involved with something when you don’t know how.
One final point on this question. Several of you commented on how you enjoyed XRS collaborating and working with other groups. “I’d love to see all the environmental groups in Scotland coming together as a Scottish movement of movements.” So would we. We do work and link-up with different groups. It’s not always easy mixing non-violent direct action (NVDA) groups with groups that can’t risk arrest.
Question 3: Would you like to get more involved in XR Scotland activities?
Yes: 51%
No: 32%
It’s encouraging to see that many of you would like to get more involved. It’s a cliché but hope can be found in action, and right now we definitely need some more hope.
A final comment
Some of you had some fair criticism of XR (then again, don’t we all!). A few felt that XR Scotland (XRS) needed to rethink its tactics, or has even had its day. Perhaps this is the simplest answer to that: as long as people want to act for the planet under XR values and principles, then we are still here and we are still determined.
More of you expressed encouragement and gratitude at XR Scotland’s work. As one person said:
“XR is an important part of the spectrum of protest and action for change. I’m really grateful for what you do.”
Which was lovely to hear!
The survey has raised some interesting points for our reflection. It has produced some useful advice to help XR Scotland evolve and respond to the polycrisis of climate change.
XR rebels are ordinary people facing an extraordinary disaster. We are taking on the extraordinary power of the fossil fuel industry, governments and a media controlled by billionaires. We do this for one simple aim – to secure a beautiful future for our communities.
We can always do better but we can’t do better without you.
So join us, get involved and help us improve.
If you have any further thoughts or comments on this, please get in touch with us on operations.scotland@extinctionrebellion.uk.
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