Europeans over 30 understand climate change better than younger generations, EIB survey finds

EIB // Combating climate change requires collective action – from governments, institutions, businesses and individuals. A good understanding of the climate challenge is essential for citizens to make informed choices. To assess public understanding of climate change, the sixth edition of the EIB Climate Survey focuses on public knowledge of climate change in three key areas: definitions and causes, consequences and solutions. Participants answered 12 questions and were ranked on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 indicating the highest level of knowledge. With over 30,000 respondents in 35 countries, including the EU Member States, the UK, the US, China, Japan, India and Canada, the EIB Climate Survey provides valuable insights into citizens’ overall understanding of climate change.

Main conclusions

Scores: The European Union (score: 6.37/10) came ahead of the United States (score: 5.38/10) in the latest EIB survey on knowledge of the causes and consequences of climate change and the solutions to tackle it.

Generation gap: Respondents aged 30 and over in the European Union demonstrated greater knowledge of the causes and consequences of climate change compared to younger generations. Overall knowledge gaps: Respondents generally demonstrated a strong understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change. At the same time, knowledge of solutions often lags behind. A significant share of respondents in the European Union (74%) and the United States (77%) are unaware of the benefits of reducing speed limits on roads. Furthermore, 56% of European respondents and 60% of US respondents were unaware that better insulating buildings could help combat climate change.

Generational divide in the European Union

Knowledge about climate change varies by age. Respondents over 30 in the European Union scored higher overall (6.47/10) than those under 30 (5.99/10).

For example, 74% of respondents aged over 30 recognise the importance of recycling products, compared to 66% of younger respondents. There is a notable gap in knowledge about the benefits of insulating buildings to combat climate change: 48% of over 30s are aware of this, compared to just 30% of under 30s. 27% of over 30s understand the climate benefits of reducing speed limits on roads, compared to just 20% of their younger counterparts.

Definitions and causes of climate change

On definition and causes When it comes to climate change, respondents in the European Union (7.21/10) scored much higher than those in the United States (5.95/10).

Most respondents (EU27: 71%; US: 58%) correctly defined climate change as a long-term change in global weather patterns, although Europeans have a 13-point advantage over Americans. Most respondents (EU27: 74%; US: 64%) recognise human activities such as deforestation, agriculture, industry and transport as the main drivers of climate change. The rest attribute it to natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions and heatwaves (25%), or the hole in the ozone layer (11%). Most respondents (EU27: 72%; US: 58%) correctly identified the US, China and India as the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases, with Europeans leading by a 14-point margin over Americans. However, four in ten Americans excluded China from their responses, indicating a lack of awareness of its position as one of the world’s top three emitters and the largest contributor to global CO2 emissions.

Consequences of climate change

When asked about the consequences of climate change, respondents in the European Union scored 7.65/10. This is significantly higher than the score for Americans, who averaged 6.13/10.

The most widely recognized consequence of climate change across all countries surveyed is its impact on world hunger. 85% of Europeans and 68% of Americans correctly associate climate change with increased world hunger due to the impact of extreme weather on crops. 82% of Europeans and 71% of Americans understand the negative impacts on human health, including that climate change can lead to an increase in air pollutants. When it comes to understanding the effects of climate change on sea levels, a significant share of Americans surveyed (45%, compared to 29% of Europeans) have misconceptions. While sea level rise is recognized by most Europeans (71%), nearly half of Americans (45%) believe either that sea levels are falling (22%) or that climate change has no specific impact on sea levels (23%). 69% of respondents in the European Union and 52% in the United States are aware that climate change is fueling global migration due to forced displacement.

Solutions to climate change

Respondents scored lower on their awareness of climate change solutions (4.25/10 in the European Union; 4.07/10 in the United States) than in the other two areas (causes and consequences of climate change).

Although most respondents are aware of solutions such as recycling (EU27: 72%; US: 63%), knowledge gaps remain, with more than a third of Americans (37%) unaware that recycling can help. Only four in ten European and US respondents (44% and 40% respectively) are aware of the positive impact of building insulation. Respondents also have limited awareness of the benefits of reducing speed limits (EU27: 26%; US: 23%).

The European Investment Bank plays a key role in financing solutions to climate change and raising awareness of this critical issue. As the financial arm of the European Union, the EIB invests in major projects worldwide, such as climate adaptation in Jordan, sustainable transport in India, small-scale solar power in Brazil, green steel production in Sweden and Europe’s largest solar gigafactory in Italy. Projects like this underline our commitment to sustainable development and reducing carbon emissions. The European Investment Bank also supports climate education and academic programmes, such as the European Chair for Sustainable Development and Climate Transition at Sciences Po, Paris. These programmes equip younger generations with the knowledge they need to tackle climate change. The EIB’s educational work is an investment in the human capital that is essential for long-term environmental sustainability.

European Investment Bank President Nadia Calviño said: “Climate action is the defining challenge of our generation. As the financial arm of the European Union, the EIB Group is committed to financing effective climate change projects and raising awareness on this urgent issue. We work closely with public institutions, cities, the private sector and civil society to support climate solutions and ensure that the green transition is affordable and offers new opportunities.”

Originally published in The European Times.

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