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.
- 79% of Slovaks 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
- 65% of Slovak car buyers say they will pick either a hybrid or electric car the next time they purchase a vehicle, while 35% would still opt for a petrol or diesel car
- 58% of Slovaks say they consider climate change when choosing a holiday destination
- 51% of young Slovaks already buy second-hand clothes instead of new ones
- 57% of young Slovaks consider climate change when looking for a job
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 more sought after than petrol/diesel vehicles
When asked about future car purchases, 65% of Slovak car buyers say they would purchase either a hybrid or electric car. This is 30 points higher than the percentage of Slovaks who say they will buy a diesel or petrol vehicle (35%). More specifically, 41% would purchase a hybrid vehicle and 24% would opt for an electric vehicle.
Slovak car buyers older than 65 are particularly interested in purchasing a hybrid vehicle (65%), while younger people (15-29 year-olds) consider a hybrid vehicle to be the least favourable option (28% would opt for a hybrid). Young Slovaks say they would be more inclined to choose a petrol or diesel vehicle (38%) or an electric car (34%) instead.
Meanwhile, nearly one-fifth of the overall Slovak population (19%) say they do not have a vehicle now and are not planning to buy one (six points above the EU average).
With 65% of Slovak car buyers saying they would opt for a hybrid or electric vehicle, Slovaks seem less inclined to switch to new car technologies compared to Slovenes (71%), Croatians (73%), Poles (73%) or Eastern Europeans[1] on average (71%), but more inclined to do so compared to Austrians (51%) and Czechs (48%).
More specifically, Slovak car buyers seem most inclined to choose a hybrid vehicle, with 41% of them saying they would purchase a hybrid as their next car. This figure is lower than the figure for Poles (46%), but higher than the figures for Slovenes (36%), Croatians (36%), Czechs (31%) or Austrians (28%).
Regarding electric cars, Slovak car buyers (24%), like Austrians (23%), Poles (27%) and Czechs (17%), seem to have reservations about choosing this type of car for their next purchase. Meanwhile, Eastern Europeans on average (30%), Croatians (37%) and Slovenes (35%) appear to find electric cars much 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
A majority (58%) of Slovaks say they consider climate change when choosing their holiday destination. This concern is even stronger amongst people younger than 30 (60%). However, just under two-fifths of young people (39%, compared to 20% for people aged 30-64 and 18% for people aged 65 and older) say they will fly for their summer holidays in 2022. More than one-quarter of young people (26%, compared to 12% for people aged 30-64 and 10% for people aged 65 and older) 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
42% of Slovaks say they buy second-hand clothes instead of new ones (in line with the EU average). Women are more likely to do so than men (53% for women vs. 31% for men). This practice is particularly popular amongst 15-29 year-olds (51%), while the figure drops 18 points for people older than 65 (33%).
44% of Slovaks consider climate change when searching for a job. This is particularly the case for 15-29 year-olds. 57% of young people take climate change into consideration when job hunting, compared to 41% for people aged 30-64 (16 points lower).
Overall, 40% of Slovak people consider climate change when they choose their bank or invest their savings. This figure is higher among Slovaks aged 15-29 years (43%) and decreases with age (40% for 30-64 year-olds and 37% for people older than 65).
EIB Vice-President Lilyana Pavlova said: “Despite some clear generational gaps, Slovak 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 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.
[1] These Eastern European countries include Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.