Germans willing to sacrifice for climate
Two-thirds of people in Germany said they were willing to make personal sacrifices to fight climate change, according to a YouGov poll, further demonstrating the varied attitudes toward lifestyle changes for the environment among European Union countries. The survey, conducted on behalf of the Welt am Sonntag newspaper, sought to identify what German citizens were willing to give up for the climate cause. The research found 43 percent said they would be willing to fly less, 40 percent who would use less heat, and 27 percent would modify their diet. However, most were not prepared to give up meat or their cars. Only 13 percent of respondents were ready to give up their use of private transport, reported the Deutsche Welle, or DW, news service. In its bid to be climate-neutral by 2045, Germany is taking extensive steps, such as switching to electric mobility and prohibiting installation of oil and gas heating systems. More coal is currently being used in Germany as a temporary solution to the ongoing energy crisis, caused by limited supplies following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, the nation is seeking to establish renewable energies like photovoltaics, wind, and hydropower as its sole source of energy in the long term, noted DW. According to a 2022/23 European Investment Bank climate survey, 80 percent of Europeans now feel the effects of climate change in their lives, reported Euronews. In France, the EIB survey found 57 percent favor a carbon budget system that allocates credits for high-carbon items like flights and meat. Two-thirds of French people favor government-imposed measures to change behavior and help mitigate climate change. Food was identified as a key issue for people in France, with 60 percent of those surveyed expressing willingness to pay more for locally produced food that is sustainably sourced. Some 57 percent of respondents also supported limits on meat and dairy purchases. Spain is one of the EU countries most at risk from climate change due to ongoing drought, and the EIB survey found 80 percent of Spaniards believed individual behavior could help, compared to the EU average of 72 percent. A separate survey this year from the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology revealed that since 2020 there has been a decrease in the number of individuals in Spain who consider climate change a major issue. In spite of this, the EIB survey found that support for stronger government measures to alter citizens' behavior was higher in Spain than the European average. According to a 2021 survey from Spain's University of Santiago de Compostela, there is also a growing response in favor of subsidizing insulation in houses, restricting polluting vehicles, and establishing low-emission zones in cities. Most Italians surveyed by the EIB indicated they would support labelling food products to display their climate footprint, and 64 percent said they would pay a little extra for locally-sourced food. Both results were higher than the EU average. More than two-thirds of Italians expressed their support for limiting the amount of meat and dairy people can buy, to lower emissions. A YouGov poll in the United Kingdom this year showed 36 percent of participants would reduce consumption of meat and dairy, with 12 percent willing to cut them out altogether. Britons were more likely than Germans to substitute cars for walking, cycling, or public transport, with 20 percent saying they would and 14 percent saying they already do. However, only 25 percent would pay extra for flights to off set their environmental impacts. Just 14 percent of German citizens believe their government can achieve its goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2045, according to its YouGov poll. Most are skeptical, with one in five doubting its feasibility, and another 30 percent doubting that a full divestment from fossil fuels is possible, noted DW.