Seven out of ten Spanish citizens believe that the policies that have been deployed to launch the transition towards a fossil fuel-free economy will only prosper if they address economic and social inequalities at the same time. This is clear from the sixth edition of the climate survey carried out by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and reported by the Efe agency. On the other hand, two out of every three respondents in Spain, a total of 66%, are in favor of paying more taxes in personal income tax to help households with less income in the country cope with the costs of the green transition. . , seven points more than the European average.
Along the same lines, half of Spaniards would be willing to see the tax pressure on their own income increase between 1% and 2% for this purpose, and 16% of those surveyed would even accept an increase of between 5%. . and 10%. An economic policy that would be viewed favorably among Spanish citizens, according to the EIB, would be the introduction of new taxes on the use of fossil fuels.
Thus, for example, 78% of Spaniards would support a tax reform to eliminate the subsidies and tax exemptions received by the aeronautical sector or other industries that still have a great dependence on oil or gas.
Climate change and environmental degradation
The percentage is four points higher than that observed in the same question in the European Union (EU) as a whole in a report in which it is clear that climate change and environmental degradation are the second most worrying problem. to the Spanish – highlighted by a total of 52 respondents -, after the increase in the cost of living – highlighted by 68% of them -.
At an international level, Spaniards are also in favor of supporting the countries most vulnerable to climate change with the aim of “guaranteeing a just transition throughout the world that allows us to forge a resilient and climate-neutral future.”
Spain should compensate the affected countries
Thus, up to 69% of those surveyed believe that Spain should financially compensate the most affected countries to promote its fight against climate change, a percentage that is nine points higher than the average of those surveyed at the European level who are in favor. . of this possibility.
What does the EIB climate survey seek to find out?
The EIB climate survey, carried out since 2018, seeks to know the opinions of citizens of the world’s main economies regarding climate change and its consequences. More than 30,000 people over 15 years old from 35 different countries participated in the sixth edition: the twenty-seven that form the EU, the United States, China, the United Kingdom, India, Japan, South Korea, Canada and the United Arab Emirates.
