PRESS RELEASE December 15, 2008
Increasing number of Swedes prepared to reduce their climate impact
Swedish people’s willingness to reduce their own emissions of greenhouse gases is continuing to increase. This is despite the fact that people do not consider the climate issue to be as important an issue as they did during 2007. These are the results of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s annual survey on public attitudes towards climate change. The Agency has also produced a study of how the general public’s consumption and climate-related behaviour has changed in recent years.
“The climate issue received major media coverage last year and it’s extremely positive to see that the people’s willingness to reduce their own emissions is continuing to show a significant increase,” says Jessica Cederberg Wodmar, Project Leader for Climate Communication at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
Eight out of ten Swedes, 80 per cent, believe that they can make a contribution towards slowing down climate change. This is a clear increase on 2002, when 68 per cent responded yes, and about the same level as in 2007.
A significant majority say that they would “definitely” consider buying energy-saving household appliances (86 per cent), using the car in a more fuel-efficient way (77 per cent), taking the train instead of flying (76 per cent) and reducing electricity consumption in the home (75 per cent), while the idea of cutting down on meat consumption is less popular (40 per cent).
Eight out of ten Swedes are prepared to pay five per cent more for goods and services from companies that they know work to limit climate change.
“Swedes are prepared to support those companies that take the lead in dealing with climate change, but they regard companies as poor at marketing their climate efforts and express a wish for climate-friendly products and services to be labelled,” says Jessica Cederberg Wodmar.
Nine out of ten Swedes consider themselves to be environmentally aware; one in two say that they feel bad if they do something that may have a negative impact on the climate, and more than eight out of ten do something in their everyday life to reduce their impact on the climate.
“The sense that the climate issue has become linked to lifestyle and identity is also reflected in the fact that seven out of ten Swedes think that it is important for their friends and acquaintances to be aware of and consider their own impact on the environment,” says Jessica Cederberg Wodmar.
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has also produced a study of how the general public’s consumption and climate-related behaviour has changed in recent years.
“It’s very positive that, in many areas, consumers have already changed their behaviour and reduced their impact on the climate," said Jessica Cederberg Wodmar.
Read the publication in English:
Read an English summary of the study:
For further information, please contact:
Jessica Cederberg Wodmar, Project Leader for Climate Communication,
+46 (0)8 6981633, +46 (0)708 901100,
jessica.c.wodmar(a)naturvardsverket.se
Anneli Nivrén, Press officer, +46 (0)8 6981312, +46 (0)70 2063727,
anneli.nivren(a)naturvardsverket.se
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is the central environmental agency. We help to ensure that environmental policy is implemented effectively and with high quality, and that it develops in the appropriate way. The Agency employs 550 people.