Some 81% of the Austrian population believes action is necessary to combat the climate crisis, according to a survey conducted by market research institute Integral.
The findings were presented by the environmental initiative Mother Earth and Greenpeace at a press conference in Vienna on Wednesday. Three-quarters of the 1,000 respondents also expressed their intention to adopt more climate-friendly behaviours in the future.
“The multiple crises of recent years have overshadowed the issue of climate change. Nevertheless, the vast majority of respondents are still interested and consider concrete climate protection measures to be necessary,” said Bertram Barth, Managing Director of Integral.
The survey highlights significant public support for political action, with over three-quarters of participants in favour of abolishing VAT on rail tickets and public transport. Some 68% support the elimination of oil and gas heating systems and believe higher prices for climate-damaging products are justified. Additionally, 30% agree that no new cars with combustion engines should be registered in Europe from 2035.
“The people of Austria are ready for a climate-friendly transition,” concluded Greenpeace Programme Director Adam Pawloff. He urged the next government to phase out fossil fuels, cancel climate-damaging subsidies, and invest heavily in public transport.
The survey also found that 78% of respondents see a link between extreme weather events and climate change, down from 80% in 2022. A supplementary survey conducted in early October revealed that 11% of participants had already been affected by extreme weather, while 27% rated the risk of future damage from hail, drought, or flooding as high. Only 4% believe they and their environment will be unaffected by extreme weather in the future.
While 69% of respondents are interested in climate issues, only 13% feel very well informed, with half rating their knowledge as moderate or poor.