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  • 58% think climate policies will improve their quality of life
  • 59% believe policies to tackle climate change will remove more jobs than they create
  • 52% of Bulgarians believe climate policies are a source of economic growth
  • 22% of Bulgarians expect to have to move to another region or country in the future because of climate change — this figure is 32% among 20-29 year-olds

These are some of the results from the latest release of the 2021-2022 Climate Survey conducted in September 2021 and 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.

Better quality of life but fears of job security

Are public policies to tackle climate change good news for the economy? Bulgarians are split on whether the green transition will be a source of economic growth. The EIB Climate Survey finds that 52% believe it will be the case, compared to the 56% average among EU citizens.

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Meanwhile, a majority (58%) of Bulgarians believe that climate policies will improve their quality of life, for example the quality of their food and their health. However, Bulgarians are sceptical about the impact of climate policies on the job market: 59% of Bulgarians say green policies will have a net negative impact on employment levels within the country, eliminating more jobs than they create (15 points above the EU average of 44%).

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Migration to other regions and changing jobs

Bulgarians are of the view that the challenges related to climate change are here to stay. While more than one-third (35%) believe that the climate emergency will be under control by 2050, 60% feel that it will still be a serious issue by mid-century.

Some Bulgarians say climate change will threaten their place of residence. One-fifth of Bulgarians (22%) expect to have to move to another region or country because of the long-term consequences of climate change. This concern is stronger among people in their twenties, with nearly one-third of those aged 20-29 (32%) saying they are worried about the possibility of needing to move due to climate change. Young Bulgarians in particular have concerns about job security: almost one-quarter of respondents aged 20-29 (23%) fear they could lose their job because it may become incompatible with the fight against climate change (5 points above the national average of 18%).

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Long-term lifestyle changes

Bulgarians are conscious of the behavioural shifts that are needed to fight climate change. One-third of respondents (33%) believe that most people will no longer own a car in 20 years and 81% say they think that most people will be working from home to contribute to the fight against climate change. Lastly, more than one-third (35%) think most people will have adopted a plant-based diet and half of them (49%) predict that an energy quota will be allocated to each individual.

A global comparison: Differences between EU, British, American and Chinese respondents

Overall, Europeans are divided on whether the green transition will be a source of economic growth. More than half of respondents (56%) believe it will be the case, in line with the perception of Americans and British people (57%), while Chinese people are more optimistic (67%). However, the majority of Europeans (61%) are confident that their quality of life will improve, with a positive impact on the quality of their food and their health. Europeans are less pessimistic compared to Chinese people (77%), Americans (65%) and British people (63%).

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EIB Vice-President Lilyana Pavlova said: “Bulgarians see opportunities in the green transition to improve their quality of life. However, they are concerned about the impact of climate policies on job creation. As the EU climate bank, we are listening to these concerns and working with the public and private sector to finance projects that support cohesion objectives and climate-friendly economic growth. In doing so, the EIB will be a key partner under the Just Transition Mechanism and other instruments supporting the green transition, committed to powering the transition to a greener and prosperous future that leaves no one behind.”

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.

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 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 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.