93% of Europeans see climate change as serious threat

25 Jul '23

2 min read

Pic: Shutterstock/Happy Stock Photo

Insights

Around 93 per cent of Europeans view climate change as a serious problem, as per a survey.
Amid concerns over energy prices due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, 58 per cent believe the transition to a green economy should be hastened.
About 88 per cent of EU citizens want to minimise GHG emissions and offset the rest to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

A whopping 93 per cent of surveyed Europeans believe that climate change is a serious problem facing the world. Over half or 58 per cent think that the transition to a green economy should be sped up in the face of energy price spikes and concerns over gas supplies after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

From an economic perspective, 73 per cent of Europeans agree that the cost of damage due to climate change is much higher than the investment needed for a green transition. And three quarters of Europeans agree that taking action on climate will lead to innovation, according to the Special Eurobarometer 538 on Climate Change survey.

Almost nine in ten European Union (EU) citizens or 88 per cent agree that greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced to a minimum, while offsetting the remaining emissions to make the EU climate-neutral by 2050. Around 87 per cent think it is important that the EU sets ambitious targets to increase renewable energy use, and 85 per cent believe that it is important for the EU to take action to improve energy efficiency, for example by encouraging people to insulate their home, install solar panels, or buy electric cars. Also, 70 per cent of respondents believe that reducing fossil fuel imports can increase energy security and benefit the EU economically.

A large majority of EU citizens—93 per cent—are already taking individual climate action and consciously making sustainable choices in their daily lives. However, when asked who is responsible for tackling climate change, citizens underlined the need for other reforms to accompany individual action, with 56 per cent pointing also to the responsibility of national governments, 56 per cent to that of the EU, and 53 per cent to that of business and industry.

European citizens also feel the threat of climate change in their daily lives. On average, over a third of Europeans feel personally exposed to environmental and climate-related risks and threats, with more than half feeling this way in seven member states, mostly in Southern Europe but also in Poland and Hungary. Moreover, 84 per cent of Europeans agree that tackling climate change and environmental issues should be a priority to improve public health, while 63 per cent of those surveyed agree that preparing for the impacts of climate change can have positive outcomes for EU citizens.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)

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