# Australian Survey Reveals Sharp Drop in Hope for World’s Future

> Public optimism about the future of the world is on a concerning downturn, according to the latest 2025 Australian Community Survey from NCLS Research. Only 19 % of Australians say they feel “hopeful” or “very hopeful” about what lies ahead, while a striking 44 % describe themselves as “low in hope.”

By Adrian Drayton · 17 October 2025 · News

Canonical: https://insights1.uca.org.au/articles/australian-survey-reveals-sharp-drop-in-hope-for-world-s-future/

Public optimism about the future of the world is on a concerning downturn, according to the latest **2025 Australian Community Survey** from NCLS Research. Only **19 % of Australians** say they feel “hopeful” or “very hopeful” about what lies ahead, while a striking **44 %** describe themselves as “low in hope.”

The survey marks a notable decline from the 2024 figures, when **24 %** of respondents expressed hope. In just one year, the share of hopeful Australians has shrunk by nearly a quarter.

“I am worried for my children and grandchildren.”
“It’s very hard to be hopeful.”
“I really fear for humanity and nature … Should we think this way?”
These direct responses underscore that the drop in hope is more than a statistic—it is a lived sentiment among many Australians.

##### **What’s Driving the Decline?**

The survey does not explicitly pinpoint causes but suggests several likely contributors:

- **Cumulative global pressures**: Climate change, economic volatility, geopolitical tensions, and environmental degradation can overwhelm individuals’ sense of control and possibility.
- **Information saturation & negativity bias**: In an age of constant news streaming, alarming headlines often dominate the narrative, skewing collective perception toward crisis.
- **Intergenerational anxiety**: Many of those surveyed expressed concern about future generations—especially children and grandchildren—indicating that dread about what lies ahead is a powerful factor.
- **Psychological weariness**: Sustained exposure to systemic challenges—pandemics, climate extremes, social polarization—can erode resilience, making hope harder to sustain over time.

NCLS frames hope not as passive optimism, but as a “skill,” a posture of engaged expectation that must be actively cultivated.

##### **Why This Matters**

The decline in hope has implications far beyond individual mood:

- **Mental health**: Hope is a buffer in adversity; low hope correlates with anxiety, fatigue, and a sense of helplessness.
- **Civic life and engagement**: When people see fewer possibilities for change, they may withdraw from civic participation, social action, or community-building.
- **Cultural and spiritual vitality**: For many communities, hope undergirds meaning-making, moral striving, and a sense of collective purpose.

At scale, a society with low hope risks sliding into resignation—a dangerous condition for democracy, innovation, and social resilience.

##### **Paths Toward Rebuilding Hope**

Despite the stark figures, recovery is possible. Some potential strategies include:

1. **Elevating hopeful narratives**
Media, schools, faith communities, and civil society can balance problem-focused messaging with stories of possibility, innovation, and local transformation.
2. **Supporting agency through action**
Local, tangible efforts—neighbourhood projects, volunteer initiatives, community gardens—help people see their capacity to affect change.
3. **Strengthening relational bonds**
Hope often grows in community. Shared purpose, mutual encouragement, and cross-generational connection matter.
4. **Cultivating longer-term thinking**
Policies, practices, and institutions oriented toward future generations (e.g., sustainability planning, intergenerational decision-making) can nurture a sense that tomorrow matters.
5. **Integrating reflective practices**
Spiritual or contemplative practices—prayer, meditation, storytelling, arts—can orient minds and hearts toward possibility and resilience.

##### **Looking Ahead**

The NCLS data offers a sobering snapshot—but also an urgent call. If hope is a skill, then it can be strengthened. Addressing systemic challenges, yes—but also investing in cultural, relational, and imaginative repair. The stark numbers demand more than awareness; they demand renewed effort to reclaim possibility, community, and the courage to build toward better days.