A large majority of Germans think that fighting climate change won’t help the economy

Are policies to tackle climate change good news for the economy? Europeans are divided on whether the green transition will be a source of economic growth. 56% believe the green transition will help the economy to grow, which is in line with the perception of Americans and British people (57%), while Chinese people are more optimistic (67%).

According to Europeans, the challenges related to climate change are here to stay. While one-third (30%) believe that the climate emergency will be under control by 2050, 66% feel that it will still be a serious issue by mid-century. European respondents say they see climate change threatening their place of residence. When asked about the longer-term impact of the climate crisis, one-third of the EU population (29%) expects to have to move to another region or country. This concern is much stronger among people aged 20-29, with 50% of them saying they are worried about the possibility of needing to move due to climate issues.

The majority of Europeans (61%) believe that their quality of life will improve, with greater convenience in their everyday lives and a positive impact on their food and their health. However, they are more pessimistic compared to Chinese people (77%), Americans (65%) and British people (63%). Policies that address the climate emergency are also seen as good news for the job market: 56% of Europeans say these will have a net positive impact on employment levels, creating more jobs than they eliminate.