Article
Climate change poll reveals 61% have taken action
Environment - 15-09-2008 - 12:33
The climate is changing, but are we?
After poverty, climate change is the most serious problem Europe faces. That is the result of a Eurobarometer survey presented in parliament on 11 September. It also found that a majority believe that we - the people, governments, industry or the European Union - are not doing enough about it. The survey also found that 61% of people had taken some personal measure to cut CO2. A quarter of those asked said they had altered their buying habits and used the car less to help the environment.
The survey of over 30,000 people in thirty European countries also found that 31% had not taken any measures to change their behaviour. Of those almost half believed that government and industry should take action whilst just over a third did not know what they should do.
Those who had taken action said they believed it would make a difference, that they had a duty to protect the environment or were concerned about what they would leave for future generations.
The results were presented at a press conference in the European Parliament by the Chair of parliament's Temporary Committee on Climate Change, Italian MEP Guido Sacconi. Europe's Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas, and Commission Vice-President Margot Wallström also spoke about the findings.
Swedes first to change, Balts last
Across the continent Sweden is the country where most people have taken personal action to help reduce their C02 emissions with 87% of respondents citing action. This contrasts with 60% of people in Latvia and Lithuania who said they had taken no action whatsoever.
Changing behaviour
- 28% of people use greener transport and 27% buy seasonal and local products that reduce CO2
Speaking at the press conference Mr Sacconi noted differences in attitudes in different countries. He said he thought it depended on whether the country had experienced an ecological disaster or not. Forest fires and droughts in Greece and Cyprus were cited by him as two examples where people's ecological awareness had been raised.
The environment and the economy
The stimulating effect that green industry could have on Europe's economy was one issue picked out by Stavros Dimas. He noted that 56% of those polled believed that climate change can help the economy. He noted that "saving energy means saving money, so there is a common logic that citizens consider it to be beneficial for economy".
He went on to say that "citizens have role to play both as consumers, by choosing to buy the right products, and as voters".
By the end of this year Europe's Environment Ministers meeting in the Council along with elected MEPs should reach an agreement on a package of Europe-wide legislation that will help mitigate climate change. Mr Dimas called on MEPs and the Council not to "dilute" the proposed measures.
The survey was conducted in all 27 EU members as well as the three candidate countries - Turkey, Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
REF.: 20080911STO36944