- 62% believe that the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its consequences should accelerate the green transition.
- 80% say that, if we do not drastically reduce our consumption of energy and goods in the coming years, we will be heading for a global catastrophe.
- 65% want polluting goods and services, such as air travel and sport utility vehicles (SUVs), to be taxed more heavily to account for their environmental costs.
- 66% want energy prices to be tied to consumption, with the biggest consumers charged more.
These are some of the results from the latest yearly climate survey, conducted in August 2022 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.
After a challenging year in which Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sparked an ongoing energy crisis and accelerated inflation all over Europe, and a summer marked by record heatwaves and droughts, Bulgarians have become even more acutely aware of the impact of climate change and the urgency with which they must act.
Climate change awareness and urgency
While COVID-19 was considered one of the biggest challenges facing Bulgarians last year, concerns about inflation now predominate. 52% cite it as their top concern, compared with 36% across the rest of the European Union.
Meanwhile, 80% of Bulgarians say they are feeling the effects of climate change on their daily lives (3 percentage points more than in 2021).
80% think that, if we do not drastically reduce our consumption of energy and goods in the coming years to solve the energy and climate crisis, we will be heading for a global catastrophe. At the same time, 87% feel that the government is reacting too slowly, and only 34% think that Bulgaria will succeed in substantially reducing its carbon emissions by 2030.
War in Ukraine and green transition
Most Bulgarians (62%) believe that the war in Ukraine and its consequences for the price of oil and gas should accelerate the green transition (compared with the European average of 66%). Note that the survey was conducted in August this year and that public opinion on this topic may evolve rapidly.
When asked to rank their energy priorities, Bulgarians expect their government to prioritise the development of renewable energies (51%) before focusing on energy supply diversification to avoid being overly reliant on a single energy provider (36%).
Energy saving is not considered a priority. Fewer Bulgarians than the EU average believe that citizens and companies must do more to reduce their own consumption (13% compared with 19%). However, this is more the case among the younger generation (22% among 15- to 29-year-olds).
Tackling climate change and addressing high energy prices
To reduce energy consumption, Bulgarians want polluting goods and services, such as air travel and SUVs, to be taxed more heavily to account for their environmental costs (65%). They also want energy prices to be tied to consumption, with the biggest consumers charged more (66%).
If Bulgarians were to lower the temperature in their homes this winter, only 14% of them would accept capping it at 19° C (14 percentage points less than the EU average of 28%). Meanwhile, 23% of Bulgarians say that they already cannot afford to heat their home properly.
Finally, on addressing high energy prices, Bulgarians think that in the short term the government should prioritise capping or regulating the price of gas, oil and coal (31%) and reducing energy-related taxes (27%) over distributing energy vouchers (15%).
The EIB’s Vice-President Lilyana Pavlova stated: “Ahead of the COP27 climate conference, the results of the EIB’s 2022 climate survey show that Bulgarians believe that accelerating renewable energy is a priority in fighting the global energy and climate crisis. At the EIB, we have been supporting innovative clean energy investments for many years, such as the construction of wind farms and more energy-efficient social housing. We stand ready to use our full range of advisory and financial instruments to support Bulgaria in a just green energy transition that leaves no one behind.”
Background information
About the EIB Climate Survey
The EIB has launched the fifth edition of the EIB Climate Survey, a thorough assessment of how people feel about climate change. Conducted in partnership with the market research firm BVA, the fifth edition of the EIB Climate Survey aims to inform the broader debate on attitudes and expectations in terms of climate action. More than 28 000 respondents participated in the survey in August 2022, with a representative panel of people aged 15 and above for each of the 30 countries polled.
About the European Investment Bank
Since 2019, the EIB has accelerated its transformation into a climate bank by committing to devoting at least 50% of its funding from 2025 to investments that contribute to the fight against climate change and the mitigation of its effects.
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 the data to life. BVA is also a member of the Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research, a global network of some of the world’s leading market research and survey players, with over 40 members.