Support for climate action no longer “a unique feature” of Germany in Europe

A series of interviews conducted by the European Commission among over 27,900 Europeans in March reveals that Germany’s strong support for climate action is no longer “a unique feature” of the country compared to its European neighbours, Dagmar Dehmer writes for the Tagesspiegel Background Energie & Klima. While 75 percent of Germans considered climate change to be a “very serious” problem, almost as many (74 percent) felt the same across Europe, she says. The share of people concerned about climate change has grown in 16 out of the 28 EU member states since 2015, and differences between poorer and richer respondents were visibly fading in this context, Dehmer writes. However, asked whether they themselves were taking action against climate change, 65 percent of respondents in Germany gave a positive reply, but only 49 percent did so across Europe as a whole, she adds.

Find the article in German here (behind paywall), and the EU report in English here.

Find out why climate fears fail to ignite German voters’ passion in this CLEW interview.

See the CLEW dossier Germany’s energy transition in the European context, and the CLEW factsheet Polls reveal citizens’ support for Energiewende for more information.