The fight against climate change requires collective action — from governments, institutions, businesses and individuals. A good understanding of the climate challenge is essential for people to make informed choices. To assess the public’s understanding of climate change in Cyprus, the sixth edition of the EIB Climate Survey focuses on people’s knowledge of climate change in three key areas: definitions and causes, consequences, and solutions. Participants answered 12 questions and were ranked on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 indicating the highest level of knowledge. With over 30 000 respondents across 35 countries, including the EU Member States, the United Kingdom, the United States, China, Japan, India and Canada, the EIB Climate Survey provides valuable insights into people’s overall understanding of climate change.
Key findings
- Cypriot respondents scored 5.57/10, placing them below the EU average of 6.37/10, in a knowledge test on the causes and consequences of climate change and solutions to address it. Finland leads the scoreboard with 7.22/10, followed by Luxembourg (7.19/10) and Sweden (6.96/10).
- Overall knowledge gaps: Cypriots are generally aware of the causes of climate change but there is room for improvement in their knowledge about the consequences and solutions.
- Four in ten (42%) are not aware that climate change triggers an increase in migration worldwide.
- A third (35%) did not know that the sea level is rising due to climate change.
- Similarly to the findings in most EU countries, a large share of Cypriot respondents did not know that reducing speed limits on roads (84%) or better insulating buildings (65%) can help combat climate change.
How well do people understand the causes of climate change?
The first sub-index focuses on the definition and causes of climate change. In this area, Cypriots scored well below the EU average (5.74/10 compared to 7.21/10).
- When it came to defining climate change, most of them (58%, 13 percentage points below the EU average of 71%) selected the correct definition (“A long-term shift in global climate patterns”). However, more than a third (35%) believe it is simply a rapid change in the weather over a short period of time, especially in the summer. Meanwhile, 7% think that climate change is a hoax.
- Two-thirds (66%) are also aware that the main causes of climate change are human activities such as deforestation, agriculture, industry and transport. Meanwhile, a third of the respondents believe otherwise (20% thinking it is caused by extreme natural phenomena, such as volcanic eruptions and heatwaves, and 14% believing that climate change is caused by the ozone hole).
- When asked about the three biggest greenhouse gas emitters worldwide, only half of Cypriots (49%, 23 percentage points below the EU average) correctly selected the United States, China and India. The other half (51%) chose an answer that did not include China, indicating that they are not necessarily aware of it being among the top three emitters — let alone the main emitter — of CO2 globally.
How aware are people of the consequences of climate change?
When asked about the consequences of climate change, Cypriots scored 7.17/10, below the EU average of 7.65/10.
- 82% know that it has a negative impact on human health (for example, it can lead to an increase in air pollutants such as ground-level ozone and particulate matter).
- 81% also correctly said that climate change is worsening world hunger by affecting crop yields due to extreme weather.
- Regarding the impact of climate change on sea levels, 65% of Cypriots correctly said that the global sea level is rising, but more than a third (35%) got it wrong: more specifically, 13% of respondents said that it is falling and 22% said that climate change has no specific impact on the sea level.
- The impact of climate change on migration, with increased forced displacement worldwide, is clear for a majority of Cypriot respondents (58%, but 11 percentage points below the EU average).
Knowledge of how to combat climate change varies
In the last sub-index, Cypriot respondents scored 3.80/10 (below the EU average of 4.25/10), indicating significantly less knowledge of actions that can help mitigate climate change compared to the other two areas investigated. This highlights a general trend across EU countries, with most of them receiving low scores in this area.
- Most Cypriots (66%) know that using recyclable products can help mitigate climate change.
- 64% also correctly said that using public transport instead of an individual car is a step in the right direction.
- But two-thirds (65%) do not know that better insulating buildings can help.
- For now, only a quarter of respondents (24%, 18 percentage points below the EU average) are aware that buying new clothes less frequently can help mitigate climate change.
- Very few respondents (16%, 10 percentage points below the EU average) seem to know that reducing the speed limit on roads would help mitigate climate change.
- Finally, most Cypriots are unaware of the significant CO2 emissions related to digital usage, with only 7% saying that watching fewer videos online can contribute to fighting the climate emergency.
- Like in most countries in Europe, only a minority of Cypriots (32%) were able to correctly define an individual’s carbon footprint as “the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions emitted by a person in a year.”
As the EU's financing arm, the EIB is investing in major projects in Cyprus that are supporting the country's green transition. In 2023 alone, climate action and green projects accounted for 61% of the country’s total EIB support, or €157 million. Among the flagship loan agreements, the EIB committed €130 million to support a programme called THALIA that targets smart and green investments, including digitalisation, urban regeneration, water, energy, and environmental protection. Also, €100 million worth of support for vital wastewater investments in Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca were provided to help Cyprus comply with EU water legislation.
EIB Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris:
“Climate change can only be limited if we work together. It is important to identify and address the knowledge gaps found in the EIB Climate Survey. At the EIB, we provide financing to fight climate change, but we also recognise our role in contributing to the debate and education around the issue. Education is a powerful tool for change. We are committed to complementing our financing with initiatives that promote climate awareness and knowledge in Cyprus and across the European Union. This is how we build a sustainable future that leaves no one behind.”
Background information
Data and methodology
The survey methodology, questionnaire and full dataset can be downloaded here.
About the European Investment Bank
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It is active in more than 160 countries and makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals. You can find more information about the EIB and climate education here.
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