Europeans consider climate change to be the most serious problem facing the world. Photo:Shotterstock
The World Daily | News Desk JULY 6th 2021
According to a Eurobarometer survey published on Monday, European citizens believe that climate change is the most serious problem facing the world. Nine out of ten Europeans agree that greenhouse gas emissions should be kept to a minimum.
More than nine out of ten respondents consider climate change to be a serious problem (93 percent), with nearly eight in ten (78 percent) considering it a very serious problem. Regarding the response, nine out of ten Europeans (90 percent) agree that greenhouse gas emissions must be kept to a minimum while compensating for the remaining emissions for the European Union to become climate neutral by 2050.
Nearly nine out of ten Europeans (87 percent) believe it is important for the EU to set ambitious targets for increasing the use of energy from renewable sources, and the same proportion believe it is important for the EU to support energy efficiency improvements.
"Europeans see the long-term dangers of the climate crisis"
“Despite the pandemic and the economic difficulties facing Europeans, support for climate action remains high,” said Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans. “Europeans recognize the long-term threats of the climate and biodiversity crisis and expect industry, governments, and the European Union to take action. The figures in the aforementioned Eurobarometer survey serve as a mobilization call for politicians and businesses,” he added.
Taking action on the climate will lead to innovation
The majority (64%) of EU citizens already take individual climate action and consciously make sustainable choices in their daily lives. When asked who is responsible for tackling climate change, citizens stressed that structural reforms should accompany individual action, pointing to national governments (63%), businesses and industry (58%) and the EU (57%).
