Strong majority in Germany supports state climate action, but little trust in policymakers – survey

A large majority of 71 percent of voters in Germany say that the government must make sure that climate targets are met, but people lack trust in the abilities of major parties to tackle the issue, according to the results of a survey by pollytix commissioned by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES). Pollytix surveyed 2,500 people eligible to vote in Germany in September 2023, and conducted focus group tests. In the survey, no party achieved more than 25 percent approval in competency for climate protection. Overall, only 38 percent of respondents agreed that policymakers are "able to overcome the challenges of the future." People see a responsibility to "do more than before" for climate protection with the economy and industry (72%), citizens with a high income (67%), and policymakers (62%), but less so with citizens with a low income (27%). When asked which measures should be used to implement climate policy, 81 percent of respondents are in favour of measures to support climate-friendly behaviour, for example through financial support. A majority of 55 percent are also open to climate-related bans. However, there was no majority for making climate-damaging behaviour more expensive through higher prices (47%).

The German public has put climate action at the top of its policy priorities for several years and remains strongly in support of the transition to a low-carbon. However, by mid-2023, public discontent with the government posed a risk to Germany’s move to climate neutrality. According to another recent survey, about one in four people in Germany believe that the state is able to fulfil its tasks and implement effective policies to tackle the important topics of migration, education, climate and environmental protection.