The second part of the 2021-2022 EIB Climate Survey explores people’s views on climate change in a rapidly changing world. The results from this release focus on citizens’ individual behaviour and the actions they are taking to combat climate change.
- 51% of Luxembourgish car buyers say they will either pick a hybrid or electric car the next time they purchase a vehicle (16 points below the EU average), while 49% would still opt for a petrol or diesel car
- 56% of people in Luxembourg say they consider climate change when choosing a holiday destination
- 36% of young people in Luxembourg consider climate change when looking for a job
- 38% of young people in Luxembourg already buy second-hand clothes instead of new ones
- 70% of respondents in Luxembourg feel they are doing all they can to fight climate change in their daily lives, but the majority believe that their compatriots are not doing the same
These are some of the results from the second release of the 2021-2022 Climate Survey published today by the European Investment Bank (EIB). The EIB is the lending arm of the European Union and the world’s largest multilateral lender for climate action projects.
Hybrid or electric cars and petrol or diesel vehicles on a par in terms of future vehicle purchases
When asked about future car purchases, 51% of Luxembourgish car buyers say they will either buy a hybrid or electric car. This figure is only two points higher than the percentage of those who said they would choose a diesel or petrol vehicle (49%) and it is 16 points below the EU average. More specifically, 31% of respondents would purchase a hybrid vehicle and 20% would opt for an electric vehicle.
Meanwhile, only 5% of the overall Luxembourgish population say they do not have a vehicle now and are not planning to buy one (eight points below the EU average).
With 51% of Luxembourgish car buyers saying they would opt for a hybrid or electric vehicle, people in Luxembourg seem less inclined to switch to new car technologies compared to Dutch people (62%), French people (61%) and Belgians (63%). They are, however, as likely to purchase a hybrid or electric car as Germans (52%).
More specifically, car buyers in Luxembourg (31%) seem slightly more inclined to choose a hybrid vehicle than Germans (29%) and Dutch people (29%). However, the figure for Luxembourgish car buyers is lower than the figures for Belgians (39%) and French respondents (38%).
Car buyers in Luxembourg seem less inclined to purchase an electric car (20%), similar to the figures for Belgian car buyers (24%), French car buyers (23%), Germans (23%) and Austrian car buyers (23%). Meanwhile, Dutch car buyers (33%) appear to find electric cars more attractive.
In general, European car buyers tend to favour hybrid vehicles (39%), while petrol or diesel vehicles are ranked second (33%) and electric cars come third (28% state they would purchase an electric car). While Chinese car buyers are the most inclined to buy an electric car (44%), Americans would opt first for a hybrid vehicle (38%), followed by a petrol or diesel vehicle (33%), then an electric car (29%).
Climate protection versus flying for holidays
55% of young people in Luxembourg say they consider climate change when choosing their holiday destination. However, a majority of them (64%, compared to 46% for people aged 30-64 and 31% for people aged 65 and older) say they will fly for their summer holidays in 2022. Almost half of them (44%, compared to 31% for people aged 30-64 and 13% for people aged 65 and above) say they will fly to a faraway destination.
Shopping for clothes, choosing a job, deciding on a bank: how climate considerations affect people’s decisions
Only 26% of people in Luxembourg say they buy second-hand clothes instead of new ones (16 points below the EU average). Women are more likely to do so than men (33% for women vs. 19% for men).
Only 26% of people in Luxembourg consider climate change when searching for a job (17 points below the EU average of 43%). This is more the case for 15-29 year-olds: 36% of them take climate change into consideration when job hunting (still 18 points below the EU average of 54% for this age group).
Overall, 34% of Luxembourgish people consider climate change when they choose their bank or invest their savings (11 points below the EU average of 45%).
EIB Vice-President Kris Peeters said: “Despite some clear generational gaps, which can also be seen in Luxembourg, people are increasingly adapting their mobility and consumption habits in a more sustainable manner to tackle climate change. These shifts in individual behaviour show that people of all ages are willing to make stronger commitments in their daily lives to help mitigate the climate crisis. These intentions were voiced during COP26 and are a clear indicator of support for our efforts to foster the green transition. As the EU climate bank, one of the EIB’s key roles is to finance innovative projects that focus on electric mobility as well as other sustainable solutions that help build a decarbonised future for all.”
Download the Excel spreadsheet with the raw data for all 30 countries surveyed here. Please click here to access an EIB webpage presenting key findings of the EIB Climate Survey IV.
Background information
About the EIB Climate Survey
The European Investment Bank has launched the fourth edition of the EIB Climate Survey, a thorough assessment of how people feel about climate change. Conducted in partnership with market research firm BVA, the fourth edition of the EIB Climate Survey aims to inform the broader debate on attitudes and expectations in terms of climate action. More than 30 000 respondents participated in the survey between 26 August and 22 September 2021, with a representative panel for each of the 30 countries polled.
About the European Investment Bank
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union and is owned by the EU Member States. It makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals both in Europe and beyond. The European Investment Bank is active in around 160 countries and is the world’s largest multilateral lender for climate action projects. The EIB Group has recently adopted its Climate Bank Roadmap to deliver on its ambitious agenda to support €1 trillion of climate action and environmental sustainability investments in the decade to 2030 and to deliver more than 50% of EIB finance for climate action and environmental sustainability by 2025. As part of the roadmap, all new EIB Group operations have also been aligned with the goals and principles of the Paris Agreement since the start of 2021.
About BVA
BVA is an opinion research and consulting firm recognised as one of the most innovative market research firms in its sector. Specialised in behavioural marketing, BVA combines data science and social science to make data inspiring and bring it to life. BVA is also a member of the Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research (WIN), a global network of some of the world’s leading market research and survey players, with over 40 members.