Lack of trust in climate policy widespread in Germany despite majority support for action – survey

Many Germans have little trust in the formation of good climate protection policies in the country, even as a majority continues to support climate action measures, a survey by research initiative More in Common showed. Concerns about a lack of collective action and low confidence in policymakers are obstacles to achieving effective climate action, the researchers said.

Public action to counter climate change enjoys a clear mandate from the German population, the survey found. More climate action has been a demand by a majority in Germany for years, but opinions over how to implement it diverge. However, the German government’s approach to climate protection so far is perceived in a predominantly negative light, as most respondents said it has been haphazard (62%), ineffective (56%), and unjust (55%).

Moreover, 62 percent said that the government is discussing climate protection measures for which most people “are not ready yet”, and 70 percent agreed that when these are proposed, the focus often is on things that will be lost. The data also showed that overall trust in the media and in the federal government is low.

Nevertheless, the researchers emphasised the constructive potential of the German climate debate, based on the existing support for public climate action in general. A majority of respondents (55%) were in favour of having more climate measures, and agreed that Germany should play a leading role in global climate protection, regardless of what other countries do.

More in Common said overall confidence in climate policies can be strengthened by offering clear perspectives of what will change, and by building societal alliances with actors who enjoy high levels of trust, such as scientists, firefighters, and farmers. Trust can also be increased through preliminary measures and framework conditions that help citizens contribute to climate protection. These include investing more in public transport, guarantees regarding the development of energy prices, positive financial incentives for limiting CO2 emissions, and binding requirements for climate-friendly production.