The Spaniards demand the most active political Administrations in the face of the climate emergency. The majority of Spaniards (74%) are in favor of the administrations applying stricter measures to impose changes in citizen behavior in order to deal with climate change. The percentage reaches 79% in the case of respondents under 30 years of age.
Spain, in this ranking, is one of the European countries where this idea is most established, with a percentage only surpassed by Portugal (84% accept it), Slovenia (77%), Italy and Malta (76%) and Croatia (75%). %), and well ahead of France (67%) or Germany (59%). This is indicated by a new survey by the European Investment Bank on climate.
In general, the citizens of southern Europe are the ones who are most inclined to assume this demand.
Limiting meat intake polarizes public opinion
Those surveyed also give their opinion on how the mode of production and consumption should change to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
And in relation to the consumption of meat and dairy products, they are divided. 50% of them are in favor of limiting the amount of meat and dairy products that can be bought, and 50% disagree.
In Spain, the indicated value decreases with age. There is therefore a clear generational gap: 66% of those under 30 years of age are in favor of limiting the individual consumption of meat and dairy products (a figure that reaches 76% among young people between 15 and 19 years of age). At the opposite pole are those over 65 years of age, since only 41% are in favor of reducing the aforementioned consumption. In relation to the rest of the countries covered by the question, the results of the survey show that Italy (68%), France (57%) and Portugal (57%) are in the lead on this point, while Spain (50%) %) is close to the EU average (51%).
Support for the idea of restricting meat intake varies considerably depending on income earned: 57% of low-income respondents are in favor, while only 47% of high-income respondents support it.
84% are in favor of labeling food products to identify
your climate footprint
On the other hand, 84% of Spaniards are in favor of labeling all food products to identify their climate footprint, and thus support decision-making that is more respectful of the environment and climate when making purchases. This percentage is similar to that of France (83%), but 6 percentage points lower than that of Portugal (90%).
In addition, 66% of Spaniards are willing to pay a little more for food produced locally and in a more environmentally friendly way. This percentage is similar to that of the Portuguese (67% of them support it) but it is 6 percentage points above the French (with 60%). This willingness to pay more for food spans all age groups (71% of low-income respondents, 62% of middle-income respondents, and 66% of high-income respondents).
The majority of the Spaniards surveyed (59%) declared themselves in favor of implementing a carbon card or budget system that assigns each person a fixed number of annual credits to spend on items with a high carbon footprint (non-essential goods, flights , meat consumption.). This opinion is shared in almost the same proportion by the French (57%) but by a higher percentage of the Portuguese and Italians (more than 68% and 64%, respectively).
The majority of Spaniards are in favor of this measure regardless of their income (((it is assumed by 65% of the respondents with the lowest income, 60% of the middle class and 57% of the highest income))). (((Age is also a determining factor. There are many more under 30s (73%) in favor of introducing this carbon budgeting system than their elders, as only 56% of those surveyed over 65 support said measure).
What sets us apart from the rest of Europe
Spaniards stand out above the European average in two key results of the survey. “The first difference is that 32% of young people between the ages of 20 and 29 say that the sustainability strategy of their future employers is a key factor when choosing a job, while the average in the EU is 22%” says Fernando Torija, head of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group Office in Spain. The second notable aspect is that 80% of Spanish respondents say they are convinced that their own behavior can make a difference when it comes to tackling the climate emergency, compared to 72% of the European average, adds Torija.
A survey conducted by Pablo Meira, a researcher at the University of Santiago de Compostela, already showed in April 2021 that Spaniards are increasingly in favor of reinforcing climate action with measures such as subsidizing the improvement of insulation in homes, establishing areas of emissions in urban centers and restrict the use of more polluting vehicles.
