New EU poll shows Europeans want more action to fight climate change, reduce fossil fuels

A new EU-wide survey finds that Europeans are increasingly concerned about climate change and a large majority believe the EU should do more to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and promote renewable energy sources. The Eurobarometer survey shows that in Europe, climate change is viewed as the most serious threat to the world after poverty.

As the EU seeks to reassert its global leadership in the fight against climate change, it will need to boost ambition on renewable energy in transport, where progress on decarbonisation has been slow. That means more support for sustainable biofuels like renewable European ethanol, which delivers 66% average greenhouse gas savings over petrol.

Instead of phasing out crop-based biofuels in Europe, as the European Commission is proposing, the EU should support policies that help it meet its climate goals – as well as creating jobs and supporting rural economies. No wonder another recent EU-wide poll found that more than two-thirds of Europeans want policies to promote crop-based biofuels.