Executive Summary
A report featuring analysis of Make it Green items from the self-completion web first panel (CRONOS-3) finds that, while concern about climate change is widespread across Europe, public trust that climate policies will be fair and effective remains very low.
The data from 11 countries (2024-25) has been analysed by Wouter Poortinga (Cardiff University) in order to inform the design of climate policies that have public support.
It focuses on climate change beliefs and worry, perceived responsibility for addressing climate change, the balance between environmental protection and economic growth, whether policies are considered fair, and support for climate policies and action.
The data found that the overwhelming majority of respondents across all countries agree that the climate is changing, but this was not matched by similarly high levels of personal worry.
In addition, business and industry are consistently expected to bear the most responsibility for addressing climate change, ahead of government action and, then, individual behaviour.
A majority of respondents in every country prioritised environmental protection over economic growth and job creation, although the strength of this preference varied by country.
There was also a marked lack of confidence in the fairness of climate policy, with most respondents doubting that national climate policies would be unbiased, inclusive of everyone’s views, or would deliver fair outcomes.
Furthermore, support varied notably by policy type, with subsidising renewable energy attracting the strongest backing and increased fossil fuel taxes the weakest.
Finally, although there were few age differences across most measures, younger adults showed the lowest willingness to pay higher prices, accept cuts to their living standards, or pay higher taxes for environmental protection, despite showing the highest rates of climate activism such as joining protests and environmental groups. This is perhaps more indicative of increasing financial pressures on younger generations, particularly in relation to housing.
It presents how citizens perceive the reality and impacts of climate change (climate change beliefs and worry), the extent to which they feel personally and collectively responsible and capable of contributing to solutions (perceived responsibility and efficacy beliefs), how they balance environmental protection with economic growth (environment vs the economy), their views on the fairness of climate action (fairness beliefs), and their support for climate policies and willingness to take action (policy support and action).
