Older generations in Germany more knowledgeable about climate change than younger generations, EIB survey finds

• Generational gap: Germans over 50 know much more than younger generations when it comes to the causes and consequences of climate change and solutions to address it.
• Overall knowledge gaps: Germans are aware of the causes and consequences of climate change but there is room for improvement in their knowledge about solutions. Similarly to the findings in most EU countries, a large share of German respondents did not know that reducing speed limits on roads (57%) or better insulating buildings (47%) can help combat climate change. However, Germans still scored significantly above the EU average on these specific questions.

---

How well do people understand the causes of climate change?

The first sub-index focuses on the definition and causes of climate change. In this area, Germans scored well above the EU average (7.5/10 compared to 7.21/10), ranking eighth in the European Union.

• When it came to defining climate change, more than three-quarters (76%, 5 percentage points above the EU average) selected the correct definition (“A long-term shift in global climate patterns”), while 7% believe that climate change is a hoax.
• Three-quarters (75%) are also aware that the main causes of climate change are human activities such as deforestation, agriculture, industry and transport. Meanwhile, a quarter of the respondents believe otherwise, with 15% thinking it is caused by extreme natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions and heatwaves, and 10% believing that climate change is caused by the ozone hole.
• When asked about the three biggest greenhouse gas emitters worldwide, most Germans (74%) correctly selected the United States, China and India. Interestingly, 19% believed that Germany is in this top three, when in fact it is the ninth biggest emitter on the planet.

How aware are people of the consequences of climate change?

When asked about the consequences of climate change, Germans scored 7.54/10 (ranking 15^th in the European Union), slightly below the EU average of 7.65/10.

• 80% know that it has a negative impact on human health (for example, it can lead to an increase in air pollutants such as ground-level ozone and particulate matter).
• 84% also correctly said that climate change is worsening world hunger by affecting crop yields due to extreme weather.
• Regarding the impact of climate change on sea levels, 71% of Germans correctly said that the global sea level is rising, but nearly a third (29%) got it wrong: more specifically, 15% of respondents said that it is falling and 14% said that climate change has no specific impact on the sea level.

The impact of climate change on migration, with an increase in the number of people being forced to leave their homes worldwide, is understood by two-thirds of Germans (68%).

Knowledge of how to combat climate change varies

In the last sub-index, German respondents scored 4.41/10, above the EU average of 4.25/10 but still indicating that they have significantly less knowledge of actions that can help mitigate climate change compared to the other two areas investigated. This highlights a general trend across EU countries, with most of them receiving low scores in this area. This score places Germany 12^th out of 27 EU countries.

• Most Germans (74%) know that using recyclable products can help mitigate climate change. 67% also correctly said that using public transport instead of an individual car is a step in the right direction.
• But only a small majority (53%, albeit 9 percentage points above the EU average) believe that better insulation in buildings can help mitigate climate change. For now, only half of respondents (50%, but still 8 percentage points above the EU average) are aware that buying new clothes less frequently could also help.
• Less than half of respondents (43%, but well above the EU average of 26%) said they know that reducing speed limits on roads helps mitigate climate change.
• Finally, most Germans are unaware of the significant impact that digital usage has on the climate, with only 11% saying that watching fewer videos online could help as well.
• Like in most countries in Europe, only a minority of Germans (46%) were able to correctly define an individual’s carbon footprint as “the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions emitted by a person in a year.”

Generational gap

Knowledge about climate change varies depending on different aspects of people’s sociodemographic profiles. One of the most notable correlations is with age. Germans over 50 know much more than younger generations when it comes to the causes and consequences of climate change and solutions to address it, scoring 6.98/10 overall compared to 6.04/10 for people below 50. In some areas, this generational gap in knowledge is significant.

• There is a significant generational gap in people’s understanding of the definition and causes of climate change (8.15 for over 50s compared to 6.92 for under 50s).
• This gap is also notable on the second sub-index about the consequences of climate change (8.21 for people over 50 compared to 6.94 for people under 50).
• The difference in scores is less significant when it comes to what can be done to fight climate change (4.58 for over 50s compared to 4.26 for under 50s)

Focusing on the younger generation, respondents aged 20-29 in Germany scored lower than people over 30 (overall score of 5.87 compared to 6.66). In some areas, this generational gap in knowledge is significant. Young Germans aged 20-29 also scored lower than average for their age group in the European Union (5.87 compared to 6.05 on average for young Europeans aged 20-29).

As the EU's financing arm, the EIB is investing in major projects in Germany that are supporting the country's green transition. A recent example is our financing the upgrade of the power grid in the German State of Thuringia, so that it can transport power from windfarms to homes, and to export surplus energy to Spain and Italy. For this, EIB provides a €400 million loan to TEAG, a public utility company that bundles the power grids of 620 small municipalities. The EIB also invests into Sunfire`s innovative electrolyser-technology, that will help to get the production to green hydrogen up and running.
Other recent climate action projects include financing new regional trains for the S-Bahn Munich and tram trains for Chemnitz. We also support various public housing companies to renovate and build residential housing according to sustainability criteria, for example in the cities of Rostock, Hannover and Erlangen.

EIB Vice-President Nicola Beer: “Climate change can only be limited if we’re all empowered to fight it. In our adaptation and mitigation efforts, knowledge is one of our most powerful assets. This is why we need to identify and address the knowledge gaps found in the EIB Climate Survey, especially among the younger generation, joining the common effort and driving the innovation and solutions of tomorrow. That’s why at the EIB, alongside our financial support, we prioritise initiatives that promote climate awareness and education. By equipping today’s youth with the understanding and tools they need, we are building a sustainable future that leaves no one behind.”

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.