A recent perception survey conducted by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA) revealed that half of European citizens (50%) believe climate change is one of the most serious problems facing the world today, while one in six (16%) consider it the single most important issue.
The most widespread view, however, is that poverty, hunger, and lack of drinking water constitute the most serious global problem, cited by 35% of Europeans, followed by the economic situation, mentioned by around a quarter (24%).
Interestingly, among the 28 EU Member States, Italy shows the highest percentage of concern for the economic situation (47%) and the lowest for poverty, hunger, and lack of drinking water (21%). The percentage of Italians (14%) who see climate change as the single most serious global problem is close to the European average (16%).
The Member States where respondents are most likely to view climate change as the most serious problem are Sweden (39%), Denmark, and Malta (30% each). The lowest proportion is found in Portugal, where only 6% share this view.
Source: European Commission, Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA)
