european youth poll: climate change
DESCRIPTION
Full results of the European Youth Poll on Climate ChangeTRANSCRIPT
Full results
of the
European Youth Polls
on Climate Change
For more information please contact
Jacob Düringer
Project Manager at the EYP International Office
+49-30-28095146
On November 28, the next round of
international climate negotiations begins in
Durban, South Africa. Leaders of many
countries will meet to establish a post-Kyoto
agreement in order to reduce the emission
of greenhouse gases. This happens in the
midst of new scientific results showing a
rapidly growing emission.
The participants of the Poll take a very clear
stand: They demand a new binding
agreement to come out of the Durban
conference.
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"It is important that the climate negotiations in Durban lead to a new legally binding agreement on greenhouse gas reduction (instead of non-binding accords)."
"I disagree" (5,3%)"I agree" (91,9%)
"I strongly agree"
"I somewhat agree"
"I strongly disagree" "I somewhat disagree"
The majority of the young Europeans is
clearly in favor of supporting the growing
economies technically and financially to
reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
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"In order to agree to a global climate regime, China, India, Brazil andother emerging economies demand Europe to reduce its greenhousegas emissions even further and to support them with financialcontributions and technology transfer. Europe should be read
"I disagree" (29,4%)"I agree" (68,5%)
"I strongly agree"
"I somewhat agree"
"I strongly disagree"
"I somewhat disagree"
At the 2009 climate negotiations in
Copenhagen, the failure to reach an
agreement was attributed to the inability of
European countries to take a strong
common position. The vast majority of
young people calls for a strong common
position – even if it means putting aside
national interest.
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"My government should put aside national interest in favour of a strong common European stance during
global climate negotiations in Durban."
"I disagree" (22,6%)"I agree" (76,5%)
"I strongly agree"
"I somewhat agree"
"I strongly disagree"
"I somewhat disagree"
Many experts do not believe in the chance
for a global agreement in Durban. If this
should be the case, the participants of the
Poll take a clear stance: Europe should go
ahead and reduce its emission reduction
unilaterally – even if other parts of the
world do not join the effort.
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"If no global agreement can be reached, Europe should still commit to further drastic emission
reduction on its own."
"I disagree" (10,1%)"I agree" (88,5%)
"I strongly agree"
"I somewhat agree"
"I strongly disagree"
"I somewhat disagree"
While the majority is not as big as on some
of the other questions, a clear majority of
61% of the Poll participants is willing to
spend more money for electricity and
transportation.
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"I support strong climate protection measures and would in consequence accept to pay more for energy and transportation (electricity, heat, fuel,
flying, etc.)."
"I disagree" (36,7 %)"I agree" (61,1 %)
"I strongly agree"
"I somewhat agree"
"I strongly disagree"
"I somewhat disagree"
The strongest consensus exists on the
question of renewable energy production.
Almost everybody taking the Poll agrees
that renewable energies should be heavily
supported by European governments.
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"European governments should heavily support renewable energy production."
"I disagree" (5,2%)"I agree" (94,3%)
"I strongly agree"
"I somewhat agree"
"I strongly disagree"
"I somewhat disagree"
The picture is different on the question of
nuclear power: Overall, a majority of 52,6%
think it is needed to keep down greenhouse
gas emissions from power generation, while
40,2% disagree. This is a question where
there are clear national differences: While
71,2% of the French participants favour
nuclear energy, only 22,5% do so in
Germany, for example.
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"Nuclear energy is needed to keep down greenhouse gas emissions inpower generation in Europe."
"I disagree" (40,2%)"I agree" (52,6%)
"I strongly agree"
"I somewhat agree"
"I strongly disagree"
"I somewhat disagree"
For the young people taking part in the Poll,
climate change is not an abstract problem:
71,9% think that it will have actual negative
consequences for them during their lifetime.
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"During my lifetime, climate change will have negative consequences for me personally."
"I disagree" (21,4%)"I agree" (71,9%)
"I strongly agree"
"I somewhat agree"
"I strongly disagree"
"I somewhat disagree"
One of the most crucial points during the
Durban negotiations might be the
distribution of emission rights between
economically developed countries and
developing countries. The Poll participants
largely claim a moral responsibility for
Europe to help developing countries in their
fight against climate change.
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"Europe has a moral responsibility to help developing countries in their fight against climate change because of our extensive production of greenhouse gases in the past and present."
"I disagree" (17,3%)"I agree" (80,7%)
"I strongly agree"
"I somewhat agree"
"I strongly disagree"
"I somewhat disagree"
On the first of our general questions, we see
a small decline of support for European
integration compared to our Poll in
September. Benefitted has largely the option
“Integration should stay as it is today.”
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"Regarding the current overall state of European integration, I think…."
"Integration as today" (14,5%)
"More integration" (61,3%)
"Less integration"(17,4%)
"...there should be more integration (more decisions on the European level)"
"...there should be less integration (more decisions on the national level)"
...integration should stay as it is today
The picture on enlargement is similar to our
Polls before: The participants of the Poll are
very split on the issue whether more
countries should be allowed to join the EU.
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"Generally, the EU should be enlarged through the accession of more countries."
"I disagree" (44,3%)"I agree" (49,3%)
"I strongly agree"
"I somewhat agree"
"I strongly disagree"
"I somewhat disagree"