Full results of the
European Youth Polls on Climate Change For more information please contact Jacob D端ringer Project Manager at the EYP International Office j.dueringer@eyp.org +49-30-28095146
"It is important that the climate negotiations in Durban lead to a new legally binding agreement on greenhouse gas reduction (instead of non-binding accords)."
On November 28, the next round of international climate negotiations begins in Durban, South Africa. Leaders of many countries will meet to establish a post-Kyoto
100,0%
"I agree" (91,9%)
agreement in order to reduce the emission
"I disagree" (5,3%)
of greenhouse gases. This happens in the midst of new scientific results showing a
90,0%
rapidly growing emission. 80,0%
"I somewhat agree"
The participants of the Poll take a very clear stand: They demand a new binding
70,0%
agreement to come out of the Durban conference.
60,0%
50,0%
40,0%
30,0%
20,0%
10,0%
0,0%
"I strongly agree" "I strongly disagree"
"I somewhat disagree"
"In order to agree to a global climate regime, China, India, Brazil and other emerging economies demand Europe to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions even further and to support them with financial contributions and technology transfer. Europe should be read
"I agree" (68,5%)
"I disagree" (29,4%)
80,00%
70,00%
60,00%
"I somewhat agree" 50,00%
40,00%
30,00%
"I strongly agree"
"I somewhat disagree"
20,00%
10,00%
"I strongly disagree" 0,00%
clearly in favor of supporting the growing economies technically and financially to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
100,00%
90,00%
The majority of the young Europeans is
"My government should put aside national interest in favour of a strong common European stance during global climate negotiations in Durban."
At the 2009 climate negotiations in Copenhagen, the failure to reach an agreement was attributed to the inability of European countries to take a strong
100,00%
"I agree" (76,5%)
"I disagree" (22,6%)
common position. The vast majority of young people calls for a strong common
90,00%
position – even if it means putting aside national interest.
80,00%
70,00%
60,00%
"I somewhat agree"
50,00%
40,00%
30,00%
20,00%
"I strongly agree" "I somewhat disagree"
10,00%
0,00%
"I strongly disagree"
"If no global agreement can be reached, Europe should still commit to further drastic emission reduction on its own." 100,00%
"I disagree" (10,1%)
"I agree" (88,5%) 90,00%
"I somewhat agree"
70,00%
"I strongly agree"
50,00%
40,00%
30,00%
20,00%
10,00%
0,00%
for a global agreement in Durban. If this should be the case, the participants of the Poll take a clear stance: Europe should go ahead and reduce its emission reduction unilaterally – even if other parts of the world do not join the effort.
80,00%
60,00%
Many experts do not believe in the chance
"I strongly disagree"
"I somewhat disagree"
"I support strong climate protection measures and would in consequence accept to pay more for energy and transportation (electricity, heat, fuel, flying, etc.)." "I agree" (61,1 %)
"I disagree" (36,7 %)
90,00%
80,00%
70,00%
60,00%
"I somewhat agree"
40,00%
"I somewhat disagree"
30,00%
20,00%
"I strongly agree" 10,00%
0,00%
of the other questions, a clear majority of 61% of the Poll participants is willing to spend more money for electricity and transportation.
100,00%
50,00%
While the majority is not as big as on some
"I strongly disagree"
"European governments should heavily support renewable energy production." 100,00%
90,00%
"I agree" (94,3%)
"I disagree" (5,2%)
"I strongly agree" 70,00%
60,00%
50,00%
40,00%
30,00%
10,00%
0,00%
question of renewable energy production. Almost everybody taking the Poll agrees that renewable energies should be heavily supported by European governments.
"I somewhat agree"
80,00%
20,00%
The strongest consensus exists on the
"I strongly disagree"
"I somewhat disagree"
"Nuclear energy is needed to keep down greenhouse gas emissions in power generation in Europe." 100,00%
The picture is different on the question of nuclear power: Overall, a majority of 52,6% think it is needed to keep down greenhouse gas emissions from power generation, while 40,2% disagree. This is a question where there are clear national differences: While
90,00%
71,2% of the French participants favour nuclear energy, only 22,5% do so in
80,00%
Germany, for example.
70,00%
"I agree" (52,6%)
"I disagree" (40,2%)
60,00%
50,00%
"I somewhat agree" 40,00%
"I somewhat disagree"
30,00%
20,00%
"I strongly agree" 10,00%
0,00%
"I strongly disagree"
"During my lifetime, climate change will have negative consequences for me personally." 100,00%
For the young people taking part in the Poll, climate change is not an abstract problem: 71,9% think that it will have actual negative consequences for them during their lifetime.
90,00%
"I agree" (71,9%)
"I disagree" (21,4%)
80,00%
70,00%
"I somewhat agree"
60,00%
50,00%
40,00%
30,00%
"I strongly agree" 20,00%
"I somewhat disagree"
10,00%
"I strongly disagree" 0,00%
100,00%
"Europe has a moral responsibility to help developing countries in their fight against climate change because of our extensive production of greenhouse gases in the past and present."
One of the most crucial points during the Durban negotiations might be the distribution of emission rights between economically developed countries and developing countries. The Poll participants largely claim a moral responsibility for
90,00%
Europe to help developing countries in their
"I agree" (80,7%)
"I disagree" (17,3%)
80,00%
70,00%
"I somewhat agree"
60,00%
50,00%
40,00%
30,00%
"I strongly agree"
20,00%
10,00%
"I somewhat disagree" "I strongly disagree"
0,00%
fight against climate change.
"Regarding the current overall state of European integration, I think…." 100,00%
On the first of our general questions, we see a small decline of support for European integration compared to our Poll in September. Benefitted has largely the option “Integration should stay as it is today.”
90,00%
80,00%
70,00%
"More integration" "Less integration" (17,4%) (61,3%)
"Integration as today" (14,5%)
60,00%
50,00%
40,00%
30,00%
20,00%
10,00%
0,00%
"...there should be more integration (more decisions on the European level)"
"...there should be less integration (more decisions on the national level)"
...integration should stay as it is today
"Generally, the EU should be enlarged through the accession of more countries." 100,00%
The picture on enlargement is similar to our Polls before: The participants of the Poll are very split on the issue whether more countries should be allowed to join the EU.
90,00%
80,00%
70,00%
"I agree" (49,3%)
"I disagree" (44,3%)
60,00%
50,00%
"I somewhat agree" "I somewhat disagree"
40,00%
30,00%
20,00%
"I strongly agree" 10,00%
0,00%
"I strongly disagree"