Europeans are increasingly concerned about the climate crisis and are willing to support both personal and government-led measures to combat it, according to a recent YouGov survey. However, the level of support decreases as the measures become more likely to impact their lifestyles.
The survey, conducted across seven countries including the UK, France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, and Italy, tested support for state-level climate action such as banning single-use plastics and phasing out fossil-fuel cars, as well as individual initiatives like buying secondhand clothes and reducing meat and dairy consumption.
While many people were happy with measures that would not significantly affect their daily lives, larger steps that may be necessary were less popular. Nevertheless, large majorities in all countries surveyed expressed concern about climate change and its effects.
There was strong support for the idea that all countries should work together to tackle climate change, with between 76% and 85% of respondents agreeing. However, there was less agreement about what individuals would do about it.
Measures entailing no great lifestyle sacrifice were popular, with between 45% (Germany) and 72% (Spain) of respondents supporting government tree-planting programmes, and 60% (Spain) and 77% (UK) growing more plants themselves or already doing so.
Between 40% (Denmark) and 56% (UK, Spain, and Italy) of respondents would happily never buy products made of single-use plastic again, while between 63% (Sweden) and 75% (Spain) would support a government ban on them.
Government subsidies to make homes more energy-efficient were widely supported, with backing ranging from 86% in Spain to 67% in Germany. However, covering the costs personally was less popular.
There was broad support for frequent flyer levies but much less for buying only secondhand clothes. Even more radical proposals, such as voluntarily eating no more meat and dairy and having fewer children than desired, were supported by only a small percentage of respondents.
Changes in car use, a significant contributor to carbon emissions, drew responses that showed a close correlation to the impact they might have on people’s lives. While an average of just under a third of respondents across the seven countries surveyed said they would be willing to switch to an electric car, support for giving up driving altogether in favour of public transport, walking or cycling was more varied.
An obligatory increase in fuel duty and government legislation banning the production and sale of petrol and diesel cars outright were not popular. Those opposed to paying more fuel tax outnumbered those in favour in all countries.
YouGov questioned representative samples of more than 1,000 respondents in each country, with fieldwork conducted between 5 and 24 April.
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