Most people (66%) surveyed in the European Union believe that the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its consequences on energy prices should accelerate the green transition, according to the newly published EIB Climate survey 2022-2023.

The proportion is 62% in the United Kingdom, 60% in China and 52% in the United States.

In this fifth edition of the survey, the increased cost of living and widespread economic and financial issues top the list of concerns in the EU, the UK and the United States.

After a year of natural disasters, 80% of people surveyed in the EU and 91% in China say they feel the effects of climate change on their daily lives. This perception is less pronounced among American (67%) and British people ( 65%). Accordingly, a vast majority respondents also say that if we do not drastically reduce our consumption of energy and goods in the coming years, we will be heading for a global catastrophe  (84% of EU respondents 88% for China, 83% for the UK and 72% for the US).

To reduce energy consumption, EU respondents want polluting activities, such as air travel and SUVs, to be taxed more heavily to account for their environmental cost (64%, 66% in the United States,  52% in the UK but 84% in China).

A majority of respondents want energy prices to be tied to consumption, with the biggest consumers charged more (63% of people surveyed in the EU vs. 87% in China, 63% in the UK and 57% in the United States.

While Europeans want their government to prioritise the development of renewable energies (47% in the EU, 45% in the UK) diversification of energy suppliers come first for Chinese respondents (46%). Energy savings only come in third position.

This is the fifth edition of the EIB Climate Survey, a thorough assessment of how people feel about climate change. Conducted in partnership with market research firm BVA, the EIB Climate Survey aims to inform the broader debate on attitudes and expectations in terms of climate action. More than 28 000 respondents participated in the survey in August 2022, with a representative panel of people aged 15 and above for each of the 30 countries polled.