Germans particularly keen on environmentally-friendly policies - survey

Germans have particularly strong aspirations for their country to become more environmentally friendly when compared to people in many other countries, a survey by the organisation More in Common has revealed. Asked which qualities their country should focus on the most, 38 percent of Germans chose "environmentally friendly," making it their top priority, compared to 31 percent in the UK and Italy, 26 percent in the Netherlands, 24 percent in Poland and 22 percent in the USA. More in Common had commissioned the poll to gauge the societal impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Protecting climate and environment" also came first (with 31%) for participants from Germany when asked to pick three issues the government should prioritize in the months ahead, followed by "supporting individuals and families in greatest need" (28%) and "improving our health system" (24%). Fifty-three percent of Germans said the government was not doing enough for the environment, while 36 percent said the government was doing the right amount.  

The survey also revealed broad support in all seven countries for linking state aid for companies to environmental requirements. Eighty-five percent of Germans said companies should commit to reducing their CO2 emissions in return. Around three-quarters of respondents in all countries agreed with the statement that the reduction in CO2 emissions during the COVID-19 lockdown showed that it was possible to reduce mankind’s impact on the environment.