- Luxembourg residents scored well above the EU27 average in the annual EIB Climate Survey focusing on the causes and consequences of climate change and solutions to address it. Unlike in neighbouring countries, young people in Luxembourg showed a higher level of climate change knowledge than their elders.
- Respondents demonstrated strong knowledge of the causes and consequences of climate change, though there is still 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 Luxembourg, 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
- People in Luxembourg rank second in the EU27 (score of 7.19/10), placing them well 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 respondents in Luxembourg demonstrated an understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change, their knowledge about possible solutions lags behind. This mirrors findings across Europe.
- 72% correctly said that using public transport instead of an individual car helps.
- 60% (18 percentage points above the EU average) are also aware that buying new clothes less frequently reduces our impact on the climate.
- 59% (15 percentage points above the EU average) correctly said that better insulating buildings can help mitigate climate change.
- Less than half (45%, although 19 percentage points above the EU average) know that reducing the speed limit on roads can also help.
- Generational differences: 20- to 29-year-olds know more than people over 30 when it comes to the causes and consequences of climate change and solutions to address it, with an overall score of 7.59/10 compared to 7.13/10 for people over 30. It is the opposite in Germany, France and Belgium, where people over 30 are more knowledgeable on the topic than those aged 20-29.
Definitions and causes of climate change
Knowledge on climate change definitions and causes among respondents in Luxembourg is well above the EU average (8.27/10 compared to 7.21/10).
- Most respondents in Luxembourg (85%, 14 percentage points above the EU average) correctly defined climate change as a long-term shift in global climate patterns, and only 6% believe that climate change is a hoax.
- Most respondents (82%) also recognise human activities such as deforestation, agriculture, industry and transport as the main culprits. The rest attribute it to natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions and heatwaves (19%), or to the ozone hole (6%).
- The vast majority of respondents in Luxembourg (82%) correctly identified the United States, China and India as the top greenhouse gases emitters worldwide.
Consequences of climate change
When asked about the consequences of climate change, people in Luxembourg scored 8.15/10 (ranking fourth in the European Union), again well above the EU average of 7.65/10.
- 86% understand the negative impacts of climate change on human health, including that climate change can lead to an increase in air pollutants.
- 91% 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 81%, while misconceptions persist among only a fifth (19%) of respondents: 11% believe that the global sea level is falling, and 8% said that climate change has no impact on the sea level.
The impact of climate change on migration, with increased forced displacement worldwide, is clear for more than two-thirds of respondents in Luxembourg (68%).
Solutions to climate change
Respondents in Luxembourg scored 5.16/10 for their awareness of solutions to climate change (the highest score among EU countries). While well above the EU average (4.25/10), it still 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.
- Most respondents in Luxembourg (82%, 10 percentage points above the EU average) know that using recyclable products helps mitigate climate change.
- 72% correctly said that using public transport instead of an individual car helps.
- 60% (18 percentage points above the EU average) are also aware that buying new clothes less frequently is a way to reduce our impact on the climate.
- 59% (15 percentage points above the EU average) correctly said that better insulating buildings can help mitigate climate change.
- There is limited knowledge among respondents in Luxembourg of the benefits of reducing speed limits (45%, but still 19 percentage points above the EU average) or limiting digital usage (22%, still well above the EU average of 9%) to mitigate climate change.
- Only half (50%) 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
Contrary to many of their European neighbours — including young Germans, Belgians and French people — young people in Luxembourg have a higher level of knowledge about climate change than their elders, according to the EIB survey results.
For most questions asked in the test, respondents aged 20-29 in Luxembourg scored higher than people over 30 (overall score of 7.59 compared to 7.13). This generational gap is statistically significant, in particular for the consequences of climate change (8.49 for the 20-29 age group compared to 8.06 for older generations) and for climate change solutions (5.84 compared to 5.05).
The European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Union's financing arm, invests in major projects across Luxembourg, focusing on areas such as climate change, innovation, infrastructure and sustainable transport. Notable examples in recent years include the financing of the Coradia rolling stock for the CFL (soon to be operational), support for the new SES satellite fleet, investment in nanosatellites and contributions to modern, energy-efficient schools and public infrastructure, including the national public library. A flagship environmental and flood protection project is the renaturation of the Alzette river and its tributary, the Petrusse, in the centre of Luxembourg City.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is also a partner of the Luxembourg authorities, providing technical expertise and advisory services in various fields and managing specific funds, such as the Luxembourg EIB Climate Finance Platform (LCFP), a joint initiative to mobilise and support international climate finance investment with a focus on mitigation and adaptation. It focuses on financing climate-related projects, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate resilience.
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.
About BVA Xsight
BVA Xsight is a pioneer in market research and consulting.