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 France, 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: French respondents scored 6.42/10, 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 leads with 7.22/10, followed by Luxembourg (7.19/10) and Sweden (6.96/10).
- Generational differences: French respondents over 50 demonstrated greater knowledge of the causes and consequences of climate change compared to younger generations.
- Overall knowledge gaps: While French respondents demonstrated an understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change, their knowledge about solutions lags behind. This mirrors findings across Europe. A significant share of French respondents (72%) were unaware that reducing speed limits on roads can be beneficial, while 43% (compared to an EU average of 56%) did not know about the positive impact of improved building insulation.
Definitions and causes of climate change
Knowledge on climate change definitions and causes among French respondents is slightly lower than the EU average (7.12/10 compared to 7.21/10).
- While over two-thirds of French respondents (68%) correctly defined climate change as a long-term shift in global climate patterns, over a quarter (26%) mistakenly defined it as short-term weather variations.
- Three-quarters (74%) recognise human activities such as deforestation, agriculture, industry and transport as the main culprits. However, a quarter hold misconceptions, attributing climate change to natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions and heatwaves (15%), or to the ozone hole (11%).
- Most French respondents (72%) correctly identified the United States, China and India as the top greenhouse gas emitters worldwide.
Consequences of climate change
French respondents’ knowledge on the consequences of climate change slightly surpasses the EU average (7.70/10 compared to 7.65/10).
- 82% 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 crops.
- Sea level rise is recognised by 73%, but misconceptions persist among over a quarter (27%) of respondents: 15% believe that the global sea level is falling, and 12% said that climate change has no impact on the sea level.
- About two-thirds (67%) are aware that climate change fuels global migration due to forced displacement.
Solutions to climate change
French respondents scored 4.44/10 for their awareness of solutions to climate change. While slightly above the EU average (4.25/10), this score indicates that they have less knowledge on solutions than on the other two areas investigated (causes and consequences). This reflects a broader trend across the European Union, with most countries receiving low scores in this area.
- While most French respondents are aware of solutions such as recycling (68%) and the use of public transport instead of individual cars (64%), knowledge gaps remain, with nearly a third (32%) unaware that recycling can help.
- Over four in ten French respondents (43%) are unaware of the positive impact of building insulation. Less than half (48%) are aware that buying fewer clothes can help mitigate climate change.
- There is also limited knowledge among French respondents of the benefits of reducing speed limits (28%) or limiting digital usage (17%, although still well above the EU average of 9%) to mitigate climate change.
- Only a minority (42%) 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. French respondents over 50 scored higher overall (6.69/10) than those under 50 (6.21/10). This generational gap is particularly significant for the causes (7.55 for over 50s compared to 6.77 for younger generations) and the consequences (8.16 compared to 7.33) of climate change.
As the EU's climate bank, the EIB is investing in numerous projects in France to support the country's energy transition towards a new low-carbon growth model. Recent examples include the EIB's investment in two gigafactories for the production of electric car batteries in the Haut-de-France region. It has also stepped up its financing of decarbonised and sustainable public transport infrastructure for local authorities, supporting the modernisation of regional railways and urban transport in large cities. The EIB is also investing in the energy-efficient renovation of social housing and educational infrastructure. In the field of renewable energy, the EIB recently supported floating offshore wind projects in the Mediterranean and signed partnerships with several commercial banks to finance the greening of SMEs. Other climate and environmental projects include the EIB's participation in green bonds issued by major industrial groups and its investment in the modernisation of electricity distribution networks to integrate new renewable energy sources and electric charging stations.
EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle, responsible for climate action and development at the Bank, said: “Climate change requires urgent collective action. At the EIB we finance climate solutions, but we also recognise the importance of education. Our survey results in France highlight the need for targeted awareness campaigns, especially to bridge the generational knowledge gap and promote practical solutions. This is how we can build a sustainable future, together.”
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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