site.btaOnly One in Three Bulgarians Take Action to Fight Climate Change, Compared to 59% in EU27, Eurobarometer Survey Shows

Only 33% of Bulgarians took action to fight climate change over the past six months, while in the EU27 this share is almost double – 59%, according to a special Eurobarometer survey presented Monday by the European Commission.

In the EU, 64% separate their waste for recycling, whereas in Bulgaria the share is 28%. Similarly, 49% of EU citizens try to avoid single-use items such as plastic shopping bags, compared with 34% in Bulgaria.

Climate change is either a very serious problem according to 37% in the EU (41% in Bulgaria) or a fairly serious problem (48% in the EU and 46% in Bulgaria). A majority (81% in the EU and 73% in Bulgaria) expresses support for the EU's goal to be climate-neutral by 2050 – supports the EU goal of climate neutrality by 2050. A majority (85-86%) believes that tackling environmental changes should be a top priority and that the investment needed to achieve this is less than the potential damage, according to 77% in the EU (67% in Bulgaria). National media do not provide enough information on these issues, according to 52% of the respondents in the EU and 55% of Bulgarian respondents.

Armed conflicts are cited as the world’s gravest problem by 61% of EU respondents and 67% of Bulgarians. Poverty, hunger and water shortages rank second (50% in the EU, 52% in Bulgaria), while the economic situation is third (47% and 52% respectively).