The second part of the 2021-2022 EIB Climate Survey explores people’s views on climate change in a rapidly changing world. The results from this release focus on citizens’ individual behaviour and the actions they are taking to combat climate change.
- 75% of Austrians feel they are doing all they can to fight climate change in their daily lives, but the majority believe that their compatriots are not doing the same
- 51% of Austrian car buyers say they will either pick a hybrid or electric car the next time they purchase a vehicle (16 points below the EU average), while 49% would still opt for a petrol or diesel car
- 70% of Austrians say they consider climate change when choosing a holiday destination
- 46% of young Austrians consider climate change when looking for a job
- 41% of young Austrians already buy second-hand clothes instead of new ones
These are some of the results from the second release of the 2021-2022 Climate Survey published today by the European Investment Bank (EIB). The EIB is the lending arm of the European Union and the world’s largest multilateral lender for climate action projects.
Hybrid or electric cars only slightly more sought after than petrol or diesel vehicles
When asked about future car purchases, 51% of Austrian car buyers say they will either buy a hybrid or electric car. This figure is only two points higher than the percentage of Austrians who said they would buy a diesel or petrol vehicle (49%). More specifically, 28% would purchase a hybrid vehicle and 23% would opt for an electric one.
Petrol or diesel cars are by far the favoured option for all age groups in Austria (50% of car buyers under 30, 50% of people older than 65 and 48% of people aged 30-64 would purchase a petrol/diesel car). Hybrid vehicles are most favoured by people older than 65 (37% of Austrians older than 65 would choose a hybrid), while this preference decreases with age (28% of people aged 30-64 and 18% of car buyers younger than 30 would opt for a hybrid car). Electric cars are most favoured by Austrians younger than 30 (32% would purchase an electric car, compared to 23% of people aged 30-64 and 13% of people older than 65).
With 51% of Austrian car buyers saying they would opt for a hybrid or electric vehicle, Austrians are less inclined to switch to new car technologies than French people (61%) and Italians (78%) — but they seem equally inclined as Germans (52%) to do so.
More specifically, Austrians seem less inclined to choose hybrid vehicles, with 28% of car buyers stating their next car will have this type of engine. Austrians seem less inclined to opt for a hybrid compared to French people (38%) and Italians (51%). However, Austrians appear to be as interested in purchasing a hybrid as German car buyers (28%).
Austrian car buyers seem as inclined to buy an electric car (23%) as Germans (23%) and French people (23%). Italians (27%) appear to find electric cars slightly more attractive.
Meanwhile, 13% of the overall Austrian population say they do not have a vehicle now and are not planning to buy one (equal to the EU average).
In general, European car buyers tend to favour hybrid vehicles (39%), while petrol or diesel vehicles are ranked second (33%) and electric cars come third (28% state they would purchase an electric car). While Chinese car buyers are the most inclined to buy an electric car (44%), Americans would opt first for a hybrid vehicle (38%), followed by a petrol or diesel vehicle (33%), then an electric car (29%).
Climate protection versus flying for holidays
70% of Austrians say they consider climate change when choosing their holiday destination. This concern is the same amongst people younger than 30 (70%). However, more than half of young people (59%, compared to 43% for people aged 30-64 and 26% for people aged 65 and above) say they will fly for their summer holidays in 2022. Almost one-third of them (30%, compared to 20% for people aged 30-64 and 11% for people aged 65 and above) say they will fly to a faraway destination.
Shopping for clothes, choosing a job, deciding on a bank: how climate considerations affect people’s decisions
30% of Austrians say they buy second-hand clothes instead of new ones (12 points below the EU average). Women are more likely to do so than men (35% for women vs. 24% for men).
37% of Austrian people consider climate change when searching for a job. This is particularly the case for 15-29 year-olds: 46% of them take climate change into consideration when job hunting, compared to 36% for people aged 30-64 (10 points lower).
Overall, 40% of Austrian people consider climate change when they choose their bank or invest their savings.
EIB Vice-President Thomas Östros said: “Despite some clear generational gaps, Austrian people are increasingly adapting their mobility and consumption habits in a more sustainable manner to tackle climate change. These shifts in individual behaviour show that people of all ages are willing to make stronger commitments in their daily lives to help mitigate the climate crisis. These intentions were voiced during COP26 and are a clear indicator of support for our efforts to foster the green transition. As the EU climate bank, one of the EIB’s key roles is to finance innovative projects that focus on electric mobility as well as other sustainable mobility solutions that help build a decarbonised future for all.”
Download the Excel spreadsheet with the raw data for all 30 countries surveyed here. Please click here to access an EIB webpage presenting key findings of the EIB Climate Survey IV.
Background information
About the EIB Climate Survey
The European Investment Bank has launched the fourth edition of the EIB Climate Survey, a thorough assessment of how people feel about climate change. Conducted in partnership with market research firm BVA, the fourth edition of the EIB Climate Survey aims to inform the broader debate on attitudes and expectations in terms of climate action. More than 30 000 respondents participated in the survey between 26 August and 22 September 2021, with a representative panel for each of the 30 countries polled.
About the European Investment Bank
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union and is owned by the EU Member States. It makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals both in Europe and beyond. The European Investment Bank is active in around 160 countries and is the world’s largest multilateral lender for climate action projects. The EIB Group has recently adopted its Climate Bank Roadmap to deliver on its ambitious agenda to support €1 trillion of climate action and environmental sustainability investments in the decade to 2030 and to deliver more than 50% of EIB finance for climate action and environmental sustainability by 2025. As part of the roadmap, all new EIB Group operations have also been aligned with the goals and principles of the Paris Agreement since the start of 2021.
About BVA
BVA is an opinion research and consulting firm recognised as one of the most innovative market research firms in its sector. Specialised in behavioural marketing, BVA combines data science and social science to make data inspiring and bring it to life. BVA is also a member of the Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research (WIN), a global network of some of the world’s leading market research and survey players, with over 40 members.