Poll: Young Europeans More Likely To Make Big Lifestyle Changes For The Planet

Across Europe, it seems young people are more willing than older generations to make big lifestyle changes, including having smaller families, stopping the usage of cars and going vegan, for the sake of the planet – but are less convinced by smaller gestures.

The YouGov polling for The Guardian, carried out in August in Britain, Denmark, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Sweden, showed growing a few more plants and abandoning single-use plastics could be a step too far for the younger generation.

A Big Number Of Respondents Very Or Fairly Worried About The Climate Crisis

The survey also showed the economic downturn was hitting young people’s expectations for the future, with more than half saying they were worried they would be unable to own a house in the next decade. Economic concerns could also dissuade them from starting a family.

Regardless of age or country, the polling showed Europeans were more likely to think the EU should make decisions about how to tackle the climate crisis on behalf of its member states, rather than individual countries making decisions independently.

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Younger generations appeared more likely to be willing to pay more for air travel, buy only secondhand clothes and support radical government measures in key policy areas. But they were less favourable towards public policy moves that could be perceived as incremental.

When it came to concerns over the climate emergency and its likely effects, the polling showed little age difference, with more than 70% of every cohort from 18-24 to those over the age of 65 saying they were very or fairly worried about the crisis.

Many Germans Sadly Believe Global Heating Is Not Anthropogenic

The survey also offered an insight into who would be willing to make lifestyle changes for the planet. Italians, Spaniards and Britons were among the most likely to say they would go big, with Germans – a quarter of whom believe global heating is not human-made – the least likely.

Europeans were torn on quitting driving. About 58% of French respondents, 57% of Italians and 56% of Germans appeared to be more willing to only walk, cycle or use public transport – compared to just 40% of Britons, 39% of Swedes and 35% of Danes.