Europeans want higher ambition in climate targets

Europeans want higher ambition in climate targets

Europeans are very concerned about climate change and that is what is reflected in the last edition of the Eurobarometer. 93% of Europeans believe that climate change is a ‘serious problem’ and 79% see it as a very serious problem.

Compared with the previous Eurobarometer survey, climate change has overtaken international terrorism in being perceived as the second most serious problem facing the world today, after poverty, hunger and lack of drinking water.

Climate change is increasingly considered not only as a very serious problem, but as the single most serious problem facing the world today. At least two thirds of respondents in almost every country think climate change is a very serious problem, and in 25 countries this view has increased since 2017.

Europeans’ high support for renewable energies

92% of respondents think it is important their national government sets ambitious targets to increase the amount of renewable energy used and 89% believe governments should provide support for improving energy efficiency by 2030.

End fossil fuels subsidies and promoting EU technology

There is a broader support to end fossil fuel subsidies, as 84% of Europeans believe that more public financial support should be given to the transition to clean energies, even if it means reducing subsidies to fossil fuels.

In addition, 72% agree that reducing fossil fuel imports from outside the EU can increase energy security, as well as, a large majority of the responders (81%) agrees that promoting EU expertise in clean technologies to countries outside the EU can benefit the EU economically.

About gas emissions, 92% of respondents agree that GHG emissions should be reduced to a minimum while offsetting the remaining emissions, in order to make the EU economy climate-neutral by 2050.

Personal action on climate change has increased in every country  

93% of respondents have taken at least one specific action to fight climate change, notably reducing and recycling waste (75% of respondents) and cutting down on consumption of disposable items whenever possible (62%).

Respondents are also now much more likely to say responsibility for tackling climate change lies with themselves personally. 60% of respondents say they have personally taken action to fight climate change in the past six months. When asked about specific actions to tackle climate change, 93% have taken at least one.

EU countries’ behavior on climate change

Sweden, Denmark, Malta, Finland, Germany, the United Kingdom, Austria and The Netherlands are the countries most worried about climate change while Bulgaria, Latvia, Greece, Croatia Romania, Slovakia, Cyprus and Lithuania are the countries that are the lowest in the list.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.