SDGs are “lame” and “annoying”! The real truth is that Generation Z, who should have learned from the past, is more concerned about “public opinion” than about the Earth.

Extreme weather events, such as the hottest heat wave in decades, torrential rains, light rainfall, and heavy snowfall, have become an everyday occurrence. Global warming countermeasures, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, are an urgent global issue. However, it has been pointed out that people in their 20s, who are supposed to have a good understanding of these issues, have a weak attitude toward these issues as their own and are restrained in their actions.

What exactly is the attitude of Generation Z (born in the late 1990s to around 2010), the generation that will carry the future of Japan on its shoulders?

Is Sustaina irrelevant?　The Realities of 20-somethings

According to an Internet survey conducted by Nissay Research Institute in 2012, 30.9% of those in their 20s have studied about sustainability and the SDGs at school or other institutions. This is more than twice the overall average (14.9%).

The SDGs consist of 17 goals aimed at solving issues facing the world, such as climate change and poverty, and Japan included the principles in the revised Courses of Study in 2005.

While the percentage of respondents in their 40s and older exceeded 50% and that of those in their 60s and older exceeded 60%, this low percentage stands out.

Mr. Yutaka Oguchi, Associate Senior Researcher at the Nissay Research Institute, attributes the low percentage to a particular attitude among those in their 20s.

While people in their 40s and older see sustainability as an issue in their daily lives, such as “family” and “children,” and have an altruistic impression of “being useful to others and society,” people in their 20s and 30s understand the significance of sustainability, but cannot envision how it relates to their own lives. Furthermore, positive evaluations such as “learning and growth” that increase among those in their 30s and older, and “new discoveries” that are common among older generations, are all relatively low among Generation Z respondents.

The realization of a sustainable society is not always a good thing, as it also entails extra costs. Mr. Oguchi speculates on the mindset of those in their 20s, who also see such negative aspects.

They may have lost their balance in their minds and are not taking action or are putting things off.

Gen Z’s Fear of “Consciousness

Mr. Oguchi also points out the psychological hurdles for Generation Z. He believes that the public-sensitive 20-somethings are more afraid of being seen as “too much” in their altruistic behavior than they are of being seen as “too conscious” in their sustainability efforts. Mr. Oguchi describes the image of young people in their 20s that emerges from the results of various surveys as follows.

They are the age when values and identity are being formed, and they are the generation that is most likely to feel this. They are concerned about how they are viewed in the society around them, so they act in a way that does not make waves, and seem hesitant to make decisions on their own. It is as if they look at those around them and compare themselves with others.

Professor Hiromi Kitago of Hosei University’s Graduate School of Policy Design also has a similar impression of today’s university students. Although they may lack social experience, they are not necessarily lacking in awareness, and they are thinking in their own way and viewing society with a cold eye.

They are mature, honest, and uncritical; in fact, they seem rather pure. Overall, they are very nice kids, but I get the sense that they are somewhat passive, cautious, and watchful of their surroundings.

This tendency to “watch their surroundings” is also evident in other data.

According to a survey by the Cabinet Office cited in the 2022 edition of the White Paper on Consumers, about 50% of those in their 20s said they were not good at communicating their thoughts to others. Furthermore, about 50% of those in their twenties strongly felt that they were “useless,” and about 70% wanted to “change their current selves.

According to the white paper, 90% of teenagers and 80% of those in their 20s answered that they are “satisfied” with their lives (including “somewhat satisfied”), and the percentage of young people who consider their standard of living to be “middle of the range” or higher is higher than that of other age groups. They are also the “digital generation” and have a high awareness of wanting to help those in need.

However, their willingness to contribute to solving environmental and social issues remains at the same level as other generations.

Is Guidance Harassment?　Adults’ reticence

One of the reasons why young people are becoming more passive and cautious is due to the changing nature of society. Professor Kitago points out that in today’s society, adults’ behavior by example is sometimes perceived as “unnecessary meddling” or “harassment.

In the past, we learned a lot from our elders. It is not that younger people do not want to listen to older people. I think the situation of mutual reticence is continuing.

A situation in which young people are hesitant to take action on social issues is a great loss for society as a whole. It is undeniable that the social atmosphere may be creating an atmosphere in which people have no choice but to be overly sensitive to public opinion.

So what should be done to get people in their 20s to be more proactive? Mr. Oguchi suggests the following approach to encourage action.

It is better to tell them that they should do something like this, or ask them to do it together with their friends, so that the burden of action is lowered.

Because people tend to distance themselves from grandiose goals such as “protecting the earth,” it is important to be able to attract sympathy through “small altruism” in everyday life, and to make it a familiar part of their own lives. Perhaps society as a whole must change to an atmosphere that lowers the burden of action so that young people can more easily become involved in social issues.