The majority of Europeans say that protecting the environment is very important to them personally.
• More than nine in ten respondents (94%) say that protecting the environment is important to them personally, including just over half (53%) who say it is very important.
• According to the survey, citizens consider climate change (53%), air pollution (46%) and the growing amount of waste (46%) the most important environmental issues.
Is there concern about the impact of environmental issues on daily life and health?
• More than three-quarters of Europeans (78%) agree that environmental issues have a direct effect on their daily life and their health.
• Almost nine in ten (88%) are worried about the environmental impact of microplastics, and a similar proportion (89%) are worried about the impact of plastic products on the environment.
• More than four in five respondents (85%) are worried about the impact on their health of chemicals present in everyday products, while nine in ten (90%) are worried about their impact on the environment.
Are Europeans ready for fundamental changes in society in order to tackle environmental problems ?
• When asked to identify the most effective ways of tackling environmental problems, most often mentioned were solutions: ‘changing the way we consume’ (33%) and ‘changing the way we produce and trade’ (31%).
• Four in five respondents (80%) say that big companies and industry are not doing enough to protect the environment, and around two-thirds (67%) feel that citizens themselves are not doing enough.
Is there support for the role of EU laws in protecting the environment?
• Around four in five (83%) agree that EU environmental legislation is necessary for protecting the environment in their country, while a similar proportion (81%) agree that the EU should assist non-EU countries to improve their environmental standards.
At what level do Europeans think that decisions to protect the environment should be taken?
• More than seven in ten respondents (72%) say that their national government is not doing enough to protect the environment, while a slightly lower proportion (68%) say the same about the EU. More than half of respondents (57%) say that their city, town or village is not doing enough to protect the environment.
• Seven in ten Europeans (70%) think that environmental decisions should be taken jointly within the EU. Around one in four (26%) believe that only the national government should take such decisions. Support for joint decision-making is highest in Spain (86%) and Cyprus and Belgium (both 81%), while it is lowest in Czechia (54%), Romania (56%) and Poland (58%).
What concerns does the public have regarding plastics and clothing?
• Among measures to reduce plastic waste and littering, most respondents consider it very important that products should be designed in a way that facilitates the recycling of plastic (67%). They also consider that industry and retailers should make an effort to reduce plastic packaging (67%), that people should be educated on how to reduce their plastic waste (58%) and that local authorities should provide more and better collection facilities for plastic waste (53%).
• Almost nine in ten respondents (88%) agree that clothing should be made to last longer, while around three in four agree that second-hand clothing should be promoted more (74%) and that clothing should only be made from materials that can be recycled (77%).
• More than nine in ten (92%) agree that brands should be required to ensure good working conditions inside and outside the EU. However, around half of respondents (49%) agree that clothes should be available at the lowest possible price, regardless of the environment or the working conditions under which they were made, while a similar proportion (47%) disagree.
For More Information
IP/20/331
Source: The European Commission