Germany is currently the country most concerned about climate change out of the 28 surveyed for the August update of the “What worries the world” study by market research and consulting firm Ipsos. Climate change is one of Germans’ top three concerns, with 36 percent selecting it as their main worry (six percentage points more than last month, and the highest Germany has recorded to date).

Thirty-eight percent named poverty and social inequality and 37 percent named coronavirus. Across the 28 countries Ipsos surveyed, 15 percent of respondents placed climate change among their top three concerns. Overall, it is ranked ninth in Ipsos’ list of 18 issues – the coronavirus still tops the list, followed by unemployment and poverty and social inequality.

In another recent survey, environment/climate/energy transition was at the top of pollster Forschungsgruppe Wahlen’s Politbarometer for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began.

The German public increasingly puts climate action at the top of its policy priorities,and remains strongly in support of the transition to a low-carbon and nuclear-free economy. The picture across Europe is more diverse, although climate is becoming a top issue almost everywhere.

Graph shows Ipsos survey of top 5 countries most concerned about climate change. Source: Ipsos 2021.