Do Radical Ideas Lead to Support for Radical Actions? Exploring the Connection Between Radical Environmentalist Beliefs, Support for Radical Protest Forms and Perceived Governmental Efficacy

Radical environmental protests (REPs) have become more frequent and, in some contexts, increasingly supported by the public. Amid ongoing climate change, biodiversity loss, governmental backsliding, and political polarization, REP is likely to grow, with implications for both social and environmental sustainability. This study examines whether support for REP stems primarily from general pro-environmental attitudes and frustration with the limits of moderate protest, or from radical beliefs such as anti-speciesism (AS). Using UK survey data from 2024–2025 (N = 1163), we assessed support for REP through established measures like the Nature Connectedness Scale and New Ecological Paradigm, alongside new scales measuring governmental efficacy and principled support for radical protest. Moderated multiple regression analysis found that AS significantly predicts support for REP, even when controlling for general pro-environmental behavior. Notably, engagement in public environmental actions was an even stronger predictor. While perceived governmental efficacy did not moderate these relationships, it was an independent positive predictor—indicating that support for REP is linked to political optimism, rather than disillusionment. These findings challenge assumptions that REP emerges from political disengagement, suggesting instead that it reflects a broader, hopeful commitment to environmental action in the face of global crisis.