Yes, Europeans back green transition

There is no doubt that Europe is making strenuous efforts not to fall behind the great powers that lead the world, the United States and China, which are engaged in their own particular struggle for hegemony, involving us all in its consequences. Despite all this, the European Union has not lost its appeal among those who believe, especially outside it, in its defence of freedoms and human solidarity in all aspects. There are more than a few moments when the EU, which has more than a few internal disputes and upheavals, can feel isolated in its defence of these values and the causes worth resisting short-sighted global policies for. 

One of these great causes that the EU has set out to lead, despite more than a few internal misunderstandings and the pressure of strong global economic competition, is the ecological transition. Admitting the existence of the climate emergency, Europe has decided that doing nothing is not an option. This is why the latest Eurobarometer survey shows that the majority of European citizens believe that the ecological transition should be accelerated. 

It shows that there is a general awareness that climate change is one of the most serious global problems (93%), while there is also a high degree of support for initiatives to counteract its worst effects. Thus, more than half (58%) think that there is a need for a greater push towards a green economy in the face of rising energy prices and concerns about gas supplies following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 73% of Europeans say that the cost of damage caused by climate change is much higher than the investment needed for the green transition, while 75% believe that taking action to combat the climate emergency will lead to innovation. 

It is true that China and not a few emerging countries following in its wake continue to build numerous thermal power plants and burn coal on a massive scale, for example. But this is not the model that no less than 88% of European citizens want, as they are in favour of minimising greenhouse gas emissions and offsetting the remaining emissions, so that the EU will be climate neutral by 2050. 87% consider it important for the EU to set ambitious targets for increasing the use of renewable energies, and a similar number (85%) call for measures to increase energy efficiency. Down to detail, they want people to be encouraged to insulate their homes, install solar panels or buy electric vehicles. Seven out of ten Europeans (70%) believe that reducing fossil fuel imports will not only improve the energy security of EU member states, but will benefit the EU as a whole economically. 

Far from remaining theoretical, there is already a considerable majority of European citizens who are taking climate action at a personal level (93%), thus making a conscious choice to include sustainability in their daily lives. However, when asked who is responsible for tackling climate change, citizens emphasise the need for other reforms to complement individual action, pointing to the responsibility of national governments (56%), the EU itself (also 56%), as well as business and industry (53%). 

If people in southern Europe are the ones who most perceive the threat of the climate emergency, people in other countries further north also say they feel affected. This is why 84% of Europeans agree that tackling climate change and environmental issues should be a priority to improve public health. 

All these results, gathered from nearly 30,000 face-to-face interviews with different social groups in the 27 member states, have been welcomed by the European Commission, for whom the European Green Pact is one of its top priorities. For Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President of the EC, the Pact will transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient and competitive green economy. "European citizens have understood the long-term risks posed by the climate and biodiversity crisis, but they also demonstrate an awareness of the opportunity to build a brighter, healthier and safer future if we push ahead with the green transition now. With these [Eurobarometer] results in hand, it is up to politicians and decision-makers to heed this call". 

Yes, to persist in this endeavour is to respond to that supreme value that must guide all political action: that of truly improving the lives of citizens and associating them with that horizon from which no one should be excluded. At the risk of insisting on it, this is what will continue to make our Europe attractive and exemplary.