Environmental Polling

October 2024

Fern / �Mighty Earth/ Zero/ DUH

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WsTku6j7vk3GLi9SkLhAkhhdXSSjN5U/view?usp=sharing

savanta.com

1

Executive Summary

33

Results

14

Demographics

05

Background and Methodology

03

Contents

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

2

savanta.com

2

Background and Methodology

3

savanta.com

3

This report seeks to help Fern and Mighty Earth understand public attitudes towards environmental regulations, deforestation, and the impact of fake news and misinformation on these topics.

​

This full report expands on the initial headline report shared which focused solely on country differences. This report also includes these differences as an area of focus but also looks into overall differences based on gender, age, income as well as other demographic and psychographic criteria.

Background and Methodology

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

The responses of n=14,528 adults in the EU were collected across 7 markets (Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, and Spain) with at least 2000 responses collected in each market.

​

The reported data has been weighted in each country to be nationally representative in terms of gender, age and region. Countries have also been weighted such that each country has equal weight compared to another, meaning that overall results are not reflective of the different demographics that exist between the surveyed countries.

​

Fieldwork took place between 18th September and 2nd October 2024.

​

Significant difference checks are done for each country against all other countries but not against the overall average. These significant differences are not charted for each figure on each chart to improve the readability, significant differences are instead typically shown for the figure to the right of the chart. Differences mentioned in the sub analysis are always to be considered significant unless otherwise specified.

​

Results will be given at an overall level meaning they are aggregated results from each country surveyed unless otherwise specified.

savanta.com

4

Demographics

5

savanta.com

5

COUNTRY. Firstly, in which country do you live? AGE. How old are you? GENDER. In which of the following ways do you identify? INCOME. What is your total annual household income, before tax and deductions? UrbanRural. Which of the following best describes the area where you live? EDUCATION. What is the highest educational level that you have achieved to date? Base: All respondents (14528)

Demographics - Total

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Gender

Age

Urban vs Rural

Countries

Income

Education

savanta.com

6

AGE. How old are you? GENDER. In which of the following ways do you identify? REGION. In what part of the country do you live? INCOME. What is your total annual household income, before tax and deductions? UrbanRural. Which of the following best describes the area where you live? EDUCATION. What is the highest educational level that you have achieved to date? Base: Austrian respondents (2043)

Demographics - Austria

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Gender

Age

Urban vs Rural

Region

Income

Education

savanta.com

7

AGE. How old are you? GENDER. In which of the following ways do you identify? REGION. In what part of the country do you live? INCOME. What is your total annual household income, before tax and deductions? UrbanRural. Which of the following best describes the area where you live? EDUCATION. What is the highest educational level that you have achieved to date? Base: Finnish respondents (2133)

Demographics - Finland

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Gender

Age

Urban vs Rural

Region

Income

Education

savanta.com

8

AGE. How old are you? GENDER. In which of the following ways do you identify? REGION. In what part of the country do you live? INCOME. What is your total annual household income, before tax and deductions? UrbanRural. Which of the following best describes the area where you live? EDUCATION. What is the highest educational level that you have achieved to date? Base: French respondents (2007)

Demographics - France

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Gender

Age

Urban vs Rural

Region

Income

Education

savanta.com

9

AGE. How old are you? GENDER. In which of the following ways do you identify? REGION. In what part of the country do you live? INCOME. What is your total annual household income, before tax and deductions? UrbanRural. Which of the following best describes the area where you live? EDUCATION. What is the highest educational level that you have achieved to date? Base: German respondents (2016)

Demographics - Germany

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Gender

Age

Urban vs Rural

Region

Income

Education

savanta.com

10

AGE. How old are you? GENDER. In which of the following ways do you identify? REGION. In what part of the country do you live? INCOME. What is your total annual household income, before tax and deductions? UrbanRural. Which of the following best describes the area where you live? EDUCATION. What is the highest educational level that you have achieved to date? Base: Polish respondents (2106)

Demographics - Poland

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Gender

Age

Urban vs Rural

Region

Income

Education

savanta.com

11

AGE. How old are you? GENDER. In which of the following ways do you identify? REGION. In what part of the country do you live? INCOME. What is your total annual household income, before tax and deductions? UrbanRural. Which of the following best describes the area where you live? EDUCATION. What is the highest educational level that you have achieved to date? Base: Portuguese respondents (2203)

Demographics - Portugal

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Gender

Age

Urban vs Rural

Region

Income

Education

savanta.com

12

AGE. How old are you? GENDER. In which of the following ways do you identify? REGION. In what part of the country do you live? INCOME. What is your total annual household income, before tax and deductions? UrbanRural. Which of the following best describes the area where you live? EDUCATION. What is the highest educational level that you have achieved to date? Base: Spanish respondents (2020)

Demographics - Spain

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Gender

Age

Urban vs Rural

Region

Income

Education

savanta.com

13

Results

14

savanta.com

14

Q1. Thinking about some of the current issues facing the country... Which, if any, of the following do you think the government should be prioritising within their policies? Base: All respondents (14528)

Healthcare and the economy are the two issues that are top of mind for respondents in the EU. The environment is a top 3 issue for almost a third of respondents.

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Priority issues for government (showing top 3 ranks)

Austrians and Germans are the likeliest to list the environment as one of their top 3 issues (35% and 34%). Meanwhile Finland, Spain and Portugal are those least likely to do so (25%, 26% and 27% respectively).

​

Respondents aged 55+ are significantly likelier than younger groups to have the environment in their top 3 issues (33% vs 28% for both 18-34 and 35-54). Those 18-34 are likeliest of all age groups to list human rights in their top 3 issues (25% vs 18% for 35-54 and 14% for 55+)

​

Similarly, those with high incomes (€50k+/year) are significantly likelier than medium and low-income respondents to have the environment in their top 3 (33% vs 30% for medium income and 29% for low).

NET: �Rank 1-3

DE, PL, �PT, ES

ES, �AT, DE

PT, FL, �AT, DE

DE, FR, �PL

PL �

AT, �FL, PL

savanta.com

15

Q1. Thinking about some of the current issues facing the country... Which, if any, of the following do you think the government should be prioritising within their policies? Base: All respondents (14528); Austria (2043); Finland (2133); France; (2007); Germany (2016); Poland (2106); Portugal (2203); Spain (2020)

Countries like Austria and Germany, who are less concerned about the state of the economy and healthcare, are more likely to want their government to prioritise the environment.

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Priority issues for government (showing rank 1-3)

savanta.com

16

Q2. How important are the issues listed below to you personally, if at all?�Base: All respondents (14528)

All listed issues are seen as important by an overwhelming majority of respondents. Deforestation is seen as very important to just over half of them.

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Importance of environmental issues (showing all)

Portugal is significantly likelier than all other countries to say each of the issues listed are important to them.

​

Finland is the country least likely to say that deforestation is important to them (77% vs 88% avg.).

​

Women are significantly likelier than men to say deforestation is an important issue for them (90% vs 85%).

​

Younger respondents aged 18-34 are among those least likely to say deforestation is an important issue (82% vs 88% for 35-54 and 91% for 55+).

PT, �FL

PT, �DE, FL

PT, �FL

PT �

PT, ES �

PT �

PT, �FL

savanta.com

17

Q2. How important are the issues listed below to you personally, if at all?�Base: All respondents (14528); Austria (2043); Finland (2133); France; (2007); Germany (2016); Poland (2106); Portugal (2203); Spain (2020)

Water and air pollution, and water and food shortages are seen as the most important environmental issues by most respondents.

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Importance of environmental issues (showing NET: Important)

savanta.com

18

Q3. Which of the following statements best reflects your preference for environmental regulations over the next few years?�Base: All respondents (14528); Austria (2043); Finland (2133); France; (2007); Germany (2016); Poland (2106); Portugal (2203); Spain (2020)

Most respondents want environmental regulations to be stronger, hardly any respondents want weaker regulations.

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Preference for environmental regulations (showing all)

Preference for environmental regulations is highest in Portugal, with an overwhelming majority (85%) in favour of stronger regulations.

​

Conversely, it is lowest in Finland where only 50% are in favour of stronger regulations (though they are not more likely to want weaker regulations).

​

Preference for environmental regulations also varies by gender. The vast majority (67%) of female respondents want stronger regulations, with just over half (58%) of males doing the same.

​

Respondents with lower incomes (<€20k/year) are likelier than medium and high-income respondents to want stronger regulations (66% vs 63% for medium incomes and 58% for high ones).

savanta.com

19

Q7. How important do you believe global forest protection is when facing the following challenges?�Base: All respondents (14528)

Respondents are consistently and overwhelmingly finding that global forest protection is an important way of tackling environmental challenges.

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Importance of global forest protection when facing challenges (showing all)

Global forest protection is almost unanimously seen as important to deal with environmental challenges, albeit to a lesser extent in supporting Indigenous communities.

​

Portugal is consistently more likely than other countries to say forest protection is important to deal with environmental challenges.

​

Similarly, for all listed challenges, female respondents are significantly likelier than males to say that global forest protection is important. Those aged 55+ show an identical trend as they are also consistently more likely to say this than those aged 35-54 or 18-34.

PT

PT, �FL

PT, �FL, PL

PL, PT, �FL

PT

PT

PT, �AT, DE

savanta.com

20

Q7. How important do you believe global forest protection is when facing the following challenges?�Base: All respondents (14528); Austria (2043); Finland (2133); France; (2007); Germany (2016); Poland (2106); Portugal (2203); Spain (2020)

Portugal is significantly likelier than all other countries to say that global forest protection is important when facing any listed challenge.

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Importance of global forest protection when facing challenges (showing NET: Important)

savanta.com

21

Q8. In your opinion, how would you assess the protection of forests by governments around the world? �Base: All respondents (14528); Austria (2043); Finland (2133); France; (2007); Germany (2016); Poland (2106); Portugal (2203); Spain (2020)

Half of respondents think governments are doing a bad/terrible job at forest protection and less than one in ten think they are doing a good/excellent job.

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Assessment of forest protection by governments (showing all)

Whereas half (50%) of respondents felt governments are doing a bad/terrible job at forest protection, in Portugal this share reaches 68%, higher than all other markets. Conversely, Poland is the least likely to say governments are doing a bad job (36%).

​

There are also age disparities in the assessment of forest protection. While 38% of those aged 18–34 rate forest protection as bad/terrible, almost three in five (59%) of 55+ year olds do the same.

​

Those who list the environment among their top 3 issues are more likely than those who don’t to say governments are doing a bad/terrible job at forest protection (58% vs 47%).

savanta.com

22

Q10. How familiar are you with the following European Union (EU) policies?�Base: All respondents (14528)

Three in five respondents have heard of the EUDR, but only one in five is familiar with it

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Awareness of EU environmental policies (showing all)

The EU Climate Law is the EU environmental policy with the highest awareness among those surveyed (77%), followed by the EU Green Deal (68%), the Nature Restauration Law (65%) and the EUDR (61%).

​

Men are significantly likelier than women to say they are familiar with the EUDR (22% vs 18%).

​

Over a quarter (26%) of those aged 18-34 say they are familiar with the EUDR, significantly more than those aged 35-54 (20%) or 55+ (16%).

PL, �FL

PL, FR �DE

AT, FL �PT

�FL

PL, �DE

�AT, DE

AT, FL �FR, DE

DE, �ES

savanta.com

23

Q10. How familiar are you with the following European Union (EU) policies?�Base: All respondents (14528); Austria (2043); Finland (2133); France; (2007); Germany (2016); Poland (2106); Portugal (2203); Spain (2020)

Only about half of Germans and Austrians are aware of the EUDR compared to around two thirds in other markets.

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Awareness of EU environmental policies (showing NET: Aware)

savanta.com

24

Q10. How familiar are you with the following European Union (EU) policies?�Base: All respondents (14528); Austria (2043); Finland (2133); France; (2007); Germany (2016); Poland (2106); Portugal (2203); Spain (2020)

France and Poland are those likeliest to be familiar with the EUDR while Germany is least likely.

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Familiarity with EU environmental policies (showing NET: Familiar)

savanta.com

25

Q11. The EU has passed a new law to ban the sale of agricultural goods linked to deforestation. This law, the EU Deforestation Regulation, is due to come into force at the end of this year. How important do you think it is for EU member states to implement the EU Deforestation Regulation? �Base: All respondents (14528); Austria (2043); Finland (2133); France; (2007); Germany (2016); Poland (2106); Portugal (2203); Spain (2020)

An overwhelming majority of respondents consider implementing the EUDR to be important with over two in five saying it is very important.

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Importance of implementing EUDR (showing all)

Finland and Poland are significantly less likely than all other markets to say implementing the EUDR is important. This may be due to feelings that the EUDR threatens the forestry industry of those countries more than others.

​

Women are significantly likelier than men to find implementing the EUDR important (86% vs 82%).

​

90% of those who agree that misinformation threatens environmental regulation think implementing the EUDR is important compared to only 65% for those so disagree with this.

savanta.com

26

Q11b. How much of a priority do you believe the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation should be in relation to other EU policies? �Base: All respondents (14528); Austria (2043); Finland (2133); France; (2007); Germany (2016); Poland (2106); Portugal (2203); Spain (2020)

Almost three in four respondents believe the EUDR should be one of the EU’s priority pieces of legislation to implement, though only about one in six believe it should be the top priority.

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Prioritisation of EUDR implementation (showing all)

In France and Spain, over a quarter of respondents say the implementation of the EUDR should be a top priority (26% and 27% respectively).

​

Those aged 18-34 are significantly less likely than those older groups to want the EUDR implementation to be a priority (68% vs 72% for 35-54 and 77% for 55+).

​

Only 48% of those who disagree that misinformation threatens environmental regulation think implementing the EUDR should be a priority compared to 82% among those who agree with the statement.

savanta.com

27

Q11. The EU has passed a new law to ban the sale of agricultural goods linked to deforestation. This law, the EU Deforestation Regulation, is due to come into force at the end of this year. How important do you think it is for EU member states to implement the EU Deforestation Regulation? �Q11b. How much of a priority do you believe the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation should be in relation to other EU policies? �Base: All respondents (14528); Austria (2043); Finland (2133); France; (2007); Germany (2016); Poland (2106); Portugal (2203); Spain (2020)

While implementing the EUDR is overwhelmingly seen as important and one of the EU’s priorities, support for it is too weak for respondents to see the policy as the EU’s top priority.

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Importance of implementing EUDR (showing very important / fairly important)�Prioritisation of EUDR implementation (showing top priority / one of several priorities)

savanta.com

28

Q12. The current EU Regulation guidance does not include protection of all types of forests, such as mangroves and wooded savannahs. Which of the following statements best reflects your thoughts on protecting all types of forests:�Base: All respondents (14528); Austria (2043); Finland (2133); France; (2007); Germany (2016); Poland (2106); Portugal (2203); Spain (2020)

Almost three in four respondents support the EUDR protecting all types of forests such as mangroves and wooded savannahs.

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Should the EUDR protect all types of forests �(showing % saying EUDR should include protection of all types of forests)

Both Portugal and Spain are significantly likelier than all other markets to say the EUDR should protect all types of forests. This is perhaps due to a sense of greater vulnerability regarding the impacts of climate change (e.g. forest fires) being further south than other countries surveyed. Conversely, Finland and Poland are both significantly less likely than all other markets to say this.

​

Women are significantly more likely than men to want the EUDR to protect all types of forests (77% vs 71%).

​

Those aged 18-34 are less likely than older age groups to say the EUDR should protect all types of forests (71% vs 75% for 35-54 and 76% for 55+).

​

Rural respondents show a similar trend compared to suburban and urban respondents (71% vs 76% and 75%).

savanta.com

29

Q18. Which, if any, of the following factors do you think are guiding environmental policies?�Base: All respondents (14528)

Most respondents say environmental policy is guided by protecting nature, but a third also �think it is guided by industry lobbying and a quarter say it is by fake facts.

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Factors guiding environmental policy�(showing all excl. “other”, “none of the above” and “don’t know”)

34% of those in Poland and 28% in Finland say environmental policy is guided by fake facts compared to 15% in Portugal and 16% in France.

​

Men are significantly likelier than women to say environmental policy is guided by fake facts (25% vs 21%) or industry lobbying (37% vs 32%).

​

39% of respondents aged 55+ say industry lobbying is guiding environmental policy compared to 26% for those 18-34 years old.

​

Those who think deforestation is not an important issue are significantly likelier to say fake facts are guiding policy than those who do think its important (27% vs 22%). However, they are significantly less likely than them to say industry lobbying is guiding such policy (27% vs 36%).

AT, DE, �FR

ES, �FR

DE, PT �FL, FR

�DE

�FR, ES

�FL

FL, PL �FR, PT

savanta.com

30

Q18. Which, if any, of the following factors do you think are guiding environmental policies?�Base: All respondents (14528); Austria (2043); Finland (2133); France; (2007); Germany (2016); Poland (2106); Portugal (2203); Spain (2020)

French respondents are as likely to say industry lobbying is guiding environmental policy as protecting nature.

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Factors guiding environmental policy�(showing all excl. “other”, “none of the above” and “don’t know”)

savanta.com

31

Q19. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement?�“Misinformation by industry lobbyists is a big threat to effective environmental regulation and its implementation” �Base: All respondents (14528); Austria (2043); Finland (2133); France; (2007); Germany (2016); Poland (2106); Portugal (2203); Spain (2020)

Just over two in three respondents agree that misinformation by industry lobbyists is a big threat to effective environmental regulation and its implementation.

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Importance of implementing EUDR (showing all)

Only half (53%) of those in Finland agree with the statement compared to three in four in Portugal and Spain (79% and 76%).

The share of those agreeing in France is average (68%) but those who strongly agree with the statement is much higher than average (34% vs 28% avg.).

​

Only 60% of young respondents (18-34) agree with the statements compared to 67% for those 35-54 and 73% for 55+ years old.

​

73% of those with a tertiary education agree that misinformation by lobbyists threatens environmental regulation compared to 64% of those who have only received secondary education.

savanta.com

32

Summary

33

savanta.com

33

Fern/Mighty Earth – Environmental Polling

Different perspectives on the environments and the EUDR between EU markets can be attributed to a complex interplay of ecological, economic, cultural, and political factors. Those more concerned with the economy or healthcare (such as Portugal, Finland or Spain) are less likely than other countries to place the environment in their top 3 issues.

​

However, this does not mean these countries are not concerned by the environment. Portugal gives consistently higher importance to environmental issues than other markets and is likeliest to want stronger environmental regulations (85%). Conversely, Finland which least likely to want this (50%).

​

Looking at age groups, those aged 55+ are more likely to have the environment in their top 3 issues than those 18-34 (33% vs 28%). Those 18-34 are instead more likely than older groups to list human rights in their top issues (25% vs 18% avg.). However, this doesn't mean younger respondents do not care about the environment either. Those 18-34 are as likely as older age groups to say they want stronger regulations on the issue (62% for 18-34 as well as 35-54 and 55+).

​

When it comes to global forest protection, almost all respondents recognise its importance in tackling various environmental issues. However, they do not feel that governments are pulling their weight on this issue, less than a tenth (9%) of respondents say they are doing a good job at protecting forests. Half (50%) say they are doing a bad/terrible job.

​

This is not inevitable, respondents who are familiar with the EUDR are significantly less likely than those unaware of the policy to say governments are doing a bad/terrible job at protecting forests (44% vs 54%).

​

Poland is the country least likely to feel governments are doing a bad/terrible job at protecting forests (36% vs 50% avg.). This may be due to the familiarity it has with the European Green Deal which is twice as high as the next highest country (50% vs 25%).

​

Younger respondents who are consistently more aware of EU green policies are also less likely than older groups to think governments are doing a bad/terrible job at protecting forests.

Awareness of the EUDR is strong at 61% though that is below other EU green policies. Awareness is lower in Germany (48%) and Austria (51%) than all other markets. Familiarity with the policy is at 20% and reaches up to 25% in France and 24% in Poland.

​

84% of respondents feel it is important for the EUDR to be implemented and 73% believe it should be at least one of several priorities for the EU. In France and Spain, over a quarter of respondents believe it should be the EU's top priority (26% and 27%).

​

Younger respondents are also more likely to be familiar with EU policy. About two thirds (67%) are aware of the EUDR and 26% are familiar with it.

​

While most respondents (57%) think environmental policy is guided by protecting nature (reaching 70% in Germany), there are also 35% who say it is guided by industry lobbying and 23% by disinformation (34% in Poland). Two thirds of respondents (68%) agree that misinformation by industry lobbyists threatens effective environmental regulation.

Summary

Even if the environment is not a top issue, �it is still important to respondents.

Governments are not seen as protecting forests �well; legislation can change minds.

The EUDR has strong awareness and is seen as �important legislation that should be prioritised.

34

savanta.com

34

35

savanta.com

Questions?

35

emma.levin@savanta.com

Associate Director

Emma Levin

martin.dejardin@savanta.com

Consultant

Martin Dejardin

charlie.henderson@savanta.com

Graduate Executive

Charlie Henderson

Grote Bickersstraat 74-78

1013 KS

Amsterdam

Netherlands

Amsterdam

666 Third Ave.

7th Floor�New York NY 10017 �USA

​

New York

60 Great Portland Street

London

W1W 7RT

UK

London

+44 (0) 20 7632 3434

better.decisions@savanta.com

36