Romanians Consider Climate Change Important, but Environmental Issues Are Not as High a Priority as in Other Countries

Nevertheless, environmental matters fall short in priority compared to pressing concerns like healthcare, education, pensions, and employment, as indicated by the study "Socio-Ecological Transformations in Romania. Attitudes, interests and fears of different social groups", conducted by Roxana Bucată, an expert in environmental policies and launched on Friday, 31 May 2024, by the Friedrich-Ebert Foundation Romania.

On a scale from 1 to 10, Romanians assign a significance rating of 8.1 to climate change, surpassing the 7.7 average reported by citizens across 18 other European and North American countries. Climate change, which drives environmental changes and is therefore impacting daily life (e.g., through increased energy costs), is regarded as highly significant (scoring between 8 and 10) by 74% of Romanians, while only 5% of respondents deem it irrelevant (scoring between 0 and 2).

However, Romanians place environmental concerns at the 8th spot on the societal priority list, whereas the average ranking across 18 other countries is 4th. The majority of Romanians (59%) prioritize health first and education second (53%). Countries where environmental issues rank among the top five priorities include Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, Germany, the USA, and Serbia.

The top three environmental concerns identified by respondents in Romania are the state of forests (62%), air quality and pollution (56%), and water quality and pollution (54%).

The study is based on the findings of a comprehensive survey conducted by the SINUS Institute for the Friedrich-Ebert Foundation (FES) Competence Centre "Climate and Social Justice." This survey encompassed 19 countries in Europe and North America, with a sample size of 1,200 individuals per country.

The following 19 countries were included in the survey: Canada, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UK, and USA.

Attitudes and expectations from key economic and political actors

The majority of Romanians want a change in people's behavior and in the socio-economic system in order to face environmental challenges, but the idea of change also comes with a reluctance about the resulting costs. 93% of respondents said they want a fundamental change in the dominant lifestyle and way of doing business, with young people aged 18-29 being the most categorical in this respect.

Among the conditions that Romanians demand for this change are that everyone should be involved in the process, that there should be no extra costs associated with it, that the benefits and negative effects should be shared fairly and that jobs should be maintained until alternatives are available.

Among the stakeholders capable of addressing environmental concerns, Romanians place the highest expectations on the government, with 82% highlighting its responsibility for instigating change. Local governments follow closely behind at 76%, alongside companies and trade unions at 75%, and citizens at 73%. Surprisingly, despite its significant environmental impact resulting from large-scale resource exploitation, the private sector ranks third, closely in front of citizens, who wield comparatively less influence. Notably, Romania exhibits a wider disparity between government and the private sector (82% vs. 75%) compared to the survey's average across all 19 countries (71% vs. 70%).

Environmental protection means a better quality of life

The findings emphasize the perception that environmental preservation leads to an improved quality of life, driven by the recognition that a healthy environment and nature immersion contribute significantly to the well-being of humans. However, this motivation resonates less strongly among lower-income respondents, who prioritize other issues. Moreover, environmental protection is widely regarded as a civic obligation, with certain social demographics even indicating 100% agreement with the statement: “every individual bears the responsibility of ensuring a sustainable environment for future generations”. 

The study can be accessed online at https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/bukarest/21223.pdf

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Additional resources:

o    International Survey Conducted in 19 Countries:

• Country Report: Romania: https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/bruessel/20861.pdf
• Country Comparative Report https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/bruessel/20868.pdf
• Graphical Presentation of Country Comparisons https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/bruessel/21034.pdf

o    Project webpage administrated by the Climate and Social Justice Competence Centre: Survey on Attitudes Towards the Social-Ecological Transformation https://justclimate.fes.de/survey-attitudes-towards-the-social-ecological-transformation.html