Eurobaramoter has released a special report on European attitudes towards climate change.
Europeans’ Attitudes Towards Climate Change. Special Eurobameter 322
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_322_en.pdf
From the introduction of the opinion survey:
This report presents the results of a survey on the attitudes of Europeans towards climate change which was carruied out on late August and September 2009.
2009 is a watershed year for fighting climate change, with world leaders meeting at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen in December to try and reach a follow-up agreement to the Kyoto Protocol. As this time grows closer there has been an increasing focus in the international media on the conference, on climate change, and on the various measures needed to curb its impact. Since the EU adopted ambitious climate and energy targets for 2020 in December 2008 many countries have also seen a more active dialogue about climate change taking place. The EU has launched its own climate change campaign website to provide general information to the public as well as to suggest ways for individual actions1. But what do Europeans actually think about climate change?
This survey mapped the opinion of Europeans on a range of climate change related topics, and in particular covers:
♦ Respondents’ perceptions of climate change in relation to other world
problems.
♦ Respondents’ perceptions of the seriousness of climate change.
♦ Respondents’ perceptions about the actions of local, national governments as
well as the EU in combating climate change
♦ Respondents’ attitudes towards alternative fuels and CO² emissions.
♦ Whether respondents feel that climate change is stoppable or has been
exaggerated, and what impact it has on the European economy.
♦ Whether respondents have taken personal action to fight climate change, and
what those actions are.
♦ Perceived relative importance of the economy and the environment
♦ Europeans’ willingness to pay more for greener energy
