EU citizens overwhelmingly behind climate action, poll suggests
The European Commission framed the data as a “powerful” mandate just days before publishing its 2040 climate goal proposal.
Eighty-five per cent of Europeans see climate change as a problem and think that fighting it should be a priority to increase public health, the European Commission said today as it published the findings of an opinion poll.
The survey revealed that 81% of EU citizens support the EU’s 2050 climate neutrality goal, and 77% believe that the damage from unmitigated climate change would cost more than investing in a green transition.
The EU executive released the data two days before it is scheduled to publish a proposal for a new 2040 emissions reduction target, immediately framing it as a citizens’ mandate to press on with efforts to fight climate change.
“Europeans are sending a powerful message: they care about the climate, they feel the risks, and they believe in action,” said vice-president Teresa Ribera, whose brief includes overseeing Europe’s industrial and energy transition.
“The Green Deal is not an abstract goal – it’s a shared path to healthier lives, secure energy, and an economy that works for people,” the Spanish former environment minister said.
“This survey confirms that citizens are ready to move forward, and they expect us to lead with clarity and ambition,” Ribera added.
For climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra – who will present the 2040 proposal on Wednesday – the survey indicates that Europeans “want concrete and bold actions”.
His Danish counterpart, Dan Jørgensen, who holds the EU energy and housing brief, said that citizens’ support for renewables, energy efficiency and security “shows that we are on the right pathway”.
The poll revealed that 88% of Europeans think it is “important” that policymakers take action to boost the deployment of renewable energy and increase energy efficiency.
However, citizens do not appear to believe their individual choices are a priority in the fight against climate change, instead seeing companies, national governments, and the EU as best placed to take meaningful action.
In addition, around half of citizens said they find it difficult to distinguish reliable news from climate disinformation on social media, with 52% saying that traditional news media are not informing them clearly on the topic.
Only 38% of respondents said they felt personally exposed to the risks associated with climate change.
(rh, aw)
