Most Germans willing to make significant lifestyle changes for environment - survey

A large majority of Germans are prepared to make significant lifestyle changes to help protect the climate and environment, according to a survey commissioned by Friends of the Earth Germany (BUND) and conducted by the Kantar Institute. Of the 1,014 respondents, 86 percent are willing to implement significant lifestyle restrictions to protect the climate, 85 percent to stop species extinction and 87 percent to fight against environmental pollution, said BUND. Climate protection, a transition in resources and the preservation of biodiversity must be at the top of the political agenda in 2021, the organisation added. “We need a comprehensive socio-ecological transformation to avert ecological collapse and mitigate the climate catastrophe. The election year 2021 must point the way for a real turnaround in transport, agriculture and resources,” said BUND chairman Olaf Bandt.

Younger people in the 14-29 and 30-39 age groups are more willing to make lifestyle changes than older people, and women are more willing to implement restrictions than men, according to the survey. When asked about political measures that need to be taken to protect the environment, 91 percent of respondents said mandatory labelling of harmful ingredients in everyday products is important or very important. Other popular measures were the expansion of renewable energy (87%) and the promotion of better public transport connections in rural and urban areas (86%). In the upcoming election year, ”political parties must become aware that constant economic growth can no longer be a political goal,” BUND said. “The top political priority must be to preserve the ecological basis of life,” Bandt said.