- 69% believe that the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its consequences should provide an impetus to accelerate the green transition.
- 88% 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.
- 70% want polluting activities to be taxed more heavily to account for their environmental cost.
- 63% want energy prices to be tied to consumption, with those consuming the most being 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, Spaniards have become even more acutely aware of the impact of climate change and the need for urgent action.
Climate change awareness and urgency
Unemployment was considered the number one challenge for Spaniards last year and these concerns still predominate in 2022, with 56% citing the job market as their top concern, compared with 45% across the rest of the European Union.
Concerns about climate change come right after economic and financial concerns, and are increasing rapidly (39% consider it to be the biggest challenge, compared with 29% in 2021, an increase of 10 percentage points), particularly among left-wing supporters (49%). In addition, 83% of Spaniards now say they feel the effects of climate change on their daily lives (an increase of 2 percentage points since 2021).
88% think 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. Meanwhile, 92% feel that the government is reacting too slowly, and only a minority (45%) think that Spain will succeed in substantially reducing its carbon emissions by 2030.
War in Ukraine and green transition
Most Spaniards (69%) believe that the war in Ukraine and its consequences on the prices of oil and gas should accelerate the green transition (3 percentage points more than the European average of 66%).
When asked to rank their energy priorities, Spaniards expect their government to prioritise the development of renewable energy (50%) before focusing on energy supply diversification to avoid being overly reliant on a single provider (31%).
Energy savings are also a priority, with 19% of Spaniards saying that citizens and companies must do more to reduce their own consumption. This is especially the case among the younger generation (27% among 15- to 29-year-olds).
Tackling climate change and addressing high energy prices
To reduce energy consumption, Spaniards want polluting activities to be taxed more heavily to account for their environmental cost (70%). They also want energy prices to be tied to consumption, with those consuming the most being charged more (63%).
If Spaniards were to lower the temperature in their homes this winter, only 16% of them would accept capping it at 19° C (31 percentage points fewer than French people (47%) and 16 percentage points fewer than Italians (32%)). Meanwhile, 32% of Spaniards say that they already cannot afford to heat their homes.
Finally, on addressing high energy prices, 42% of Spaniards think that in the short term the government should reduce energy-related taxes (59% among far-right sympathisers). Other measures are less popular, such as capping or regulating the prices of gas, oil and coal (33%), or encouraging energy saving through public campaigns (16%).
EIB Vice-President Ricardo Mourinho Félix said: “Ahead of the COP27 climate conference, the results of the EIB 2022 Climate Survey show that Spanish citizens believe that the priority in fighting the global energy and climate crisis has to be on accelerating renewable energy and implementing energy-efficiency measures. At the EIB we have been supporting innovative clean energy investments in Spain for many years, such as solar plants and the energy rehabilitation of buildings. We stand ready to use our full range of advisory and financial instruments to support Spain 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 EIB
Since 2019, the EIB has accelerated its transformation into a climate bank by committing to devoting at least 50% of its financing 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. Specialising 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.