- Belgian respondents ranked slightly above the EU average in a knowledge test on the causes and consequences of climate change and solutions to address it.
- People aged 50 and over are more knowledgeable about climate change than younger generations.
- Belgians have a good grasp of the causes and consequences of climate change, but there is still some room for improvement in their knowledge of solutions.
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 Belgium, 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
- Scores: Belgian respondents scored 6.49/10, placing them slightly above the EU average of 6.37/10, in a knowledge test on the causes and consequences of climate change and solutions to address it. Among the countries polled, Finland demonstrated the highest level of knowledge (7.22/10), followed by Luxembourg (7.19/10) and Sweden (6.96/10).
- Overall knowledge gaps: While Belgian respondents demonstrated an understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change, their knowledge about possible solutions lags behind. This mirrors findings across Europe.
- 80% of Belgian respondents know that it has a negative impact on human health.
- 85% also correctly said that climate change is worsening world hunger.
- A large share of Belgian respondents did not know that reducing speed limits on roads (70%) or better insulating buildings (47%) can help combat climate change.
- Generational differences: Belgian respondents over 50 demonstrated greater knowledge of the causes and consequences of climate change compared to younger generations.
Definitions and causes of climate change
Knowledge on climate change definitions and causes among Belgian respondents is slightly lower than the EU average (7.19/10 compared to 7.21/10).
- Over two-thirds of Belgian respondents (72%) correctly defined climate change as a long-term shift in global climate patterns, while 7% believe that climate change is a hoax.
- Three-quarters (72%) recognise human activities such as deforestation, agriculture, industry and transport as the main culprits, while the rest attribute it to natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions and heatwaves (16%), or to the ozone hole (12%).
Consequences of climate change
Belgian respondents’ knowledge on the consequences of climate change surpasses the EU average (7.77/10 compared to 7.65/10).
- 80% understand the negative impacts on human health, including that climate change can lead to an increase in air pollutants.
- 85% correctly connected climate change to worsening world hunger as a result of the impact of extreme weather on agriculture.
- Sea level rise is recognised by 79%, but misconceptions persist among over a fifth (21%) of respondents: 11% believe that climate change has no impact on the sea level and 10% believe that the global sea level is falling.
- The impact of climate change on migration, with increased forced displacement worldwide, is clear for most Belgian respondents (66%).
Solutions to climate change
Belgian respondents demonstrated a lower level of knowledge on solutions to climate change than on the other two areas investigated (causes and consequences). While still scoring above the EU average (4.51/10 compared to 4.25/10), this reflects a broader trend across the European Union, with most countries receiving low scores in this area.
- While almost three-quarters of Belgian respondents are aware of solutions such as recycling (71%) and the use of public transport instead of individual cars (59%, but 6 percentage points below the EU average), knowledge gaps remain. For example, nearly three in ten (29%) are unaware that recycling can help mitigate climate change.
- Only a small majority (53%, but still 9 percentage points above the EU average) are aware of the positive impact of building insulation. Only a minority (41%) are aware that buying fewer clothes can reduce our impact on the climate.
- There is limited knowledge among Belgian respondents of the benefits of reducing speed limits (30%) or limiting digital usage (9%) to mitigate climate change.
- Less than half (47%) correctly defined an individual’s carbon footprint as “the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions emitted by a person in a year,” in line with the results from most other countries in Europe.
Generational divide
Climate change knowledge varies by age. Belgian respondents over 50 demonstrated higher levels of knowledge overall (7.00/10) than those under 50 (6.09/10). This generational gap is statistically significant, in particular for the causes (7.98 for over 50s compared to 6.57 for younger generations) and the consequences (8.45 compared to 7.23) of climate change.
As the EU's financing arm, the EIB invests in major projects that support Belgium's green transition. Recent examples include significant financing for sustainable public transport in Brussels, energy-efficient schools and public infrastructure in Wallonia and wastewater treatment plants throughout Flanders. Support for wind farms off the Belgian coast is giving millions of Belgians access to green energy to power their homes, while reducing the country's carbon footprint. Following the floods in Wallonia, a EUR 1 billion EIB programme was set up to finance climate change mitigation measures and the construction of social housing to help Belgium cope with the impact of extreme weather events.
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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