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 Greeks 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
- 81% of Greek car buyers say they will pick either a hybrid or electric car the next time they purchase a vehicle (14 points above the EU average), while 19% would still opt for a petrol or diesel car
- 67% of Greeks say they consider climate change when choosing a holiday destination
- 48% of young Greeks consider climate change when looking for a job
- 44% of young Greeks already buy second-hand clothes instead of new ones
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 or diesel vehicles
When asked about future car purchases, 81% of Greek car buyers say they will purchase either a hybrid or electric car. This figure is 62 points higher than the percentage of Greeks who said they would buy a diesel or petrol vehicle (19%). More specifically, 41% would purchase a hybrid vehicle and 40% would opt for an electric vehicle.
Meanwhile, 14% of the overall Greek population say they do not have a vehicle now and are not planning to buy one.
With 81% of Greek car buyers saying they would opt for a hybrid or electric vehicle, Greeks seem more inclined to switch to new car technologies compared to Germans (52%) and Europeans on average (67%), but slightly less inclined to do so compared to Cypriots (85%).
More specifically, Greeks seem most inclined to choose hybrid vehicles, with 41% of Greek car buyers stating their next car will have this type of engine. They seem much more inclined to opt for a hybrid than Germans (29%) and slightly more inclined to do so than Europeans in general (39%). However, Cypriots (51%) appear to be more inclined to purchase a hybrid car compared to Greeks.
Greek car buyers seem more inclined to choose an electric car (40%) compared to Germans (23%), Cypriots (34%) and Europeans on average (28%).
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
65% of young Greeks say they consider climate change when choosing their holiday destination. However, half of them (49%, compared to 40% for people aged 30-64 and 31% for people aged 65 and older) say they will fly for their summer holidays in 2022. One-fifth of them (20%, compared to 18% for people aged 30-64 and 11% 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
29% of Greeks say they buy second-hand clothes instead of new ones (13 points below the EU average). Women are more likely to do so than men (35% for women vs. 23% for men).
42% of Greek people consider climate change when searching for a job. This is particularly the case for 15-29 year-olds: 48% of them take climate change into consideration when job hunting, compared to 42% for people aged 30-64 (six points lower).
Overall, 50% of Greeks consider climate change when they choose their bank or invest their savings.
EIB Vice-President Christian Kettel Thomsen said: “Despite some clear generational gaps, Greek 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 mobility 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.