UK ‘is less concerned about climate change than European neighbours’

PEOPLE in the UK are less worried about climate change than their European neighbours, a survey suggests.

A study quizzing 4,000 members of the public in France, Germany, Norway and the UK found most people in each country thought the climate was changing and the majority believed humans were at least partly responsible.

There were high levels of support across the four countries for policies to tackle the problem, including subsidies for renewable energy and home insulation and action to help people cope with the impacts of climate change.

In the UK, 70% supported renewable subsidies, 66% backed funding for insulation and 77% measures such as building flood defences.

Storms and floods were the most frequently mentioned consequence of climate change expected in France, Germany and the UK, whereas in Norway it was unpredictable weather, the European Perception of Climate Change Project (EPCC) showed.

The UK and Germany had the highest number of people sceptical that human activity is causing climate change or that it is happening, at 14% and 16% respectively, substantially higher than France and Norway.

UK citizens were least concerned about climate change, with only a fifth (20%) very or extremely worried, and 15% not worried at all. French respondents were most concerned, with 41% very or extremely worried and only 5% not worried at all.

The study was funded by national research councils of the four countries with surveying undertaken in all four countries in June last year by Ipsos MORI.