Q. When people talk about "the environment",
which of the following do you think of first?
EUROBAROMETER
22%
Pollution in towns
and cities
Attitudes of European citizens
towards the environment
19%
19%
Climate change
18%
13%
Green and pleasant
landscapes
Results for France
Fieldwork: 10th November - 10th December 2007
Publication: March 2008
6%
12%
Protecting nature
13%
This survey reveals that Europeans are
increasingly concerned about the environment,
but still reluctant to take individual action to
protect it
12%
The state of the environment
our children will inherit
20%
8%
Man-made disasters such as
oil spills, industrial accidents
The quality of life
where you live
Earthquakes, floods and
other natural disasters
Using up natural
resources
12%
5%
4%
4%
2%
3%
5%
None of these 1%
(SPONTANEOUS) 0%
Others 0%
(SPONTANEOUS) 1%
Don't 1%
know 0%
EU27
FR
The French are most likely to associate “the environment” with the state of the environment that
their children will inherit. The figure for France is 8 percentage points above the EU average.
Pollution in towns and cities and climate change, which are the top two most cited factors in the
EU, follow next with similar proportions of French respondents as Europeans taken together
linking them with the concept of environment.
1
EUROBAROMETER
Number of Interviews: 26,730
Fieldwork Dates: 9th November - 14th December 2007
EU27
Attitudes of European citizens
towards the environment
Number of Interviews: 1,024
Fieldwork Dates: 10th November - 10th December 2007
FR
1. Environment in citizens’ lives
Q. From the following list, please pick the five main environmental
issues that you are worried about?
57%
59%
Climate change
Water pollution (seas, rivers,
lakes and underground sources)
40%
43%
Man made disasters (major oil
spills or industrial accidents, etc.)
3%
19%
39%
43%
Natural disasters (earthquakes,
floods, etc.)
32%
24%
The impact on our health of
chemicals used in everyday products
32%
33%
38%
37%
Loss in biodiversity (extinction of
species, loss of wildlife and habitats)
23%
25%
Agricultural pollution (use of
pesticides, fertilizers, etc.)
20%
20%
Urban problems (traffic jams,
pollution, lack of green spaces, etc.)
Impact of current transport modes
(more cars, more motorways,
more air traffic, etc.)
15%
11%
8%
5%
41%
82%
47%
53%
Cut down your water consumption
(for example not leaving water
running when washing the dishes
or taking a shower, etc.)
37%
58%
Reduced the consumption of
disposable items (for example plastic
bags, certain kind of packaging, etc.)
30%
43%
Chosen an environmentally friendly
way of traveling (by foot, bicycle,
public transport)
6%
25%
2%
59%
Cut down your energy consumption
(for example turning down air conditioning
or heating, not leaving appliances on
stand-by, buying energy saving light bulbs,
buying energy efficient appliances, etc.)
Q. Please tell me whether you totally agree, tend to agree, tend to
disagree or totally disagree with the following statement: You are ready to
buy environmentally friendly products even if they cost a little bit more?
Totally agree
Tend to agree
TOTAL disagree
Don't know
33%
28%
27%
Chosen locally produced products
or groceries
21%
20%
17%
19%
Bought environmentally friendly products
marked with an environmental label
44%
inner pie
inner pie
Separated most of your waste for
recycling
French respondents, like most Europeans, express the greatest concern about climate
change. The three issues that rank next – water pollution, air pollution and man-made
disasters - are also the same in France and in the EU as a whole. French respondents are,
however, significantly more likely than the average European to be worried about the
depletion of natural resources, while they see natural disasters as a less worrying issue.
FR
FR
11%
15%
Noise pollution
outer pie
outer pie
Q. Have you done any of the following during the past month for
environmental reasons?
12%
14%
Our consumption habits
EU27
EU27
Just under three-quarters of French respondents say that they experience direct effects of
environmental problems in their daily lives. This figure is slightly below the EU average of
78%. Consequently, French people are more likely than the average European to claim
that environmental problems do not make any difference in their lives.
23%
30%
The use of genetically modified
organisms in farming
21%
17%
25%
Used my car less
50%
None of these (SPONTANEOUS)
Total Agree
Education (End of)
15-
Totally agree
Tend to agree
TOTAL disagree
Don't know
37%
36%
24%
27%
Growing waste
19%
2%
24%
26%
Depletion of natural resources
FR
Option: Environmental problems have a direct effect on your daily life
42%
46%
Air pollution
EU27
Q. For each of the following statements, please tell me whether you
totally agree, tend to agree, tend to disagree or totally disagree…?
16-19
20+
Others (SPONTANEOUS)
Still Studying
EU27
65%
76%
84%
79%
EU27
FR
64%
75%
84%
82%
FR
Nearly 4 in 5 French respondents say that they are ready to buy environmentally friendly
products even if they are a bit more expensive. This figure is in line with that seen for the EU
in general. An almost identical pattern with regard to the level of education of respondents
is seen in France and in the EU as a whole: those who spent the longest periods in full-time
education are considerably more likely to consider buying “green products” than those who
only studied until the age of 15 or before.
Don't know
9%
4%
0%
1%
2%
1%
Overall, French respondents seem to be more active in taking action for environmental
reasons than the average European. They are significantly more likely than their fellow
Europeans to have separated their waste and cut down their water consumption as well
as reduced their consumption of disposable items. However, despite their good intentions
to do so, less than one in five French respondents had bought environmentally friendly
products in the month prior to this survey.
2
EUROBAROMETER
Number of Interviews: 26,730
Fieldwork Dates: 9th November - 14th December 2007
EU27
Attitudes of European citizens
towards the environment
Number of Interviews: 1,024
Fieldwork Dates: 10th November - 10th December 2007
FR
2. Environment in public life and decision making
Q. In your opinion, to what extent do the following factors
influence your "quality of life"?
Q. When it comes to protecting the environment, do you think
that decisions should be made by the (NATIONALITY) Government, or
made jointly within the European Union?
Economic factors
13%
18%
84%
79%
5%
3%
18%
19%
80%
78%
77%
EU27
(NATIONALITY) Government
Jointly within the EU
Social factors
20%
24%
28%
20%
State of the environment
Don't know
67%
76%
71%
Do not influence
EU27
outer pie
FR
inner pie
Influence
FR
French respondents are significantly more likely than their fellow Europeans to prefer that
decisions on environmental issues are taken jointly within the EU than by their national
Government. The figure for France is 10 percentage points above the EU average of 67%.
An overwhelming majority of French respondents, in line with the European norm, believe
that economic factors, the state of the environment and social aspects affect their quality
of life. French respondents position economic factors and the state of the environment on
a par as regards having an influence, whereas the average European tends to think that
economic aspects impact their lives slightly more than the state of the environment.
Q. In your opinion, which of the following would be the most
effective way(s) of tackling environmental problems?
Introducing heavier
fines for offenders
Q. For each of the following statements, please tell me whether you
totally agree, tend to agree, tend to disagree or totally disagree…?
Ensuring better enforcement of
existing environmental legislation
European environmental legislation is necessary for
protecting the environment in (OUR COUNTRY)
11%
7%
82%
88%
The EU should assist non-EU countries
to improve their environmental standards
Providing more information
on environmental issues
30%
27%
Offering higher financial incentives
(e.g.: tax breaks, subsidies) to industry,
commerce and to citizens who protect
the environment
29%
30%
25%
26%
Introducing and increasing taxation
on environmentally damaging
activities
The EU should allocate more money to the protection of environment,
even if this means that less money is spent on other areas.
13%
13%
33%
36%
Introducing stricter
environmental legislation
80%
79%
13%
17%
37%
41%
14%
21%
None of these (SPONTANEOUS)
1%
1%
Others (SPONTANEOUS)
0%
1%
78%
79%
EU27
EU27
Total “Disagree”
Total “Agree”
FR
FR
Don't know
4%
2%
When asked which measures the French think are the most effective in tackling
environmental problems, there are no significant preferences among the actions put
forward and the results for France are broadly in line with those seen for the EU as a whole.
French respondents are, however, significantly more likely than the average European to
see “green taxation” as an efficient means.
French respondents, like the average European, generally seem to support European
environment policy actions such as harmonised European legislation, aid offered to nonEU countries and higher EU-budget shares for environmental protection. They are even
slightly more likely than the average European to agree with the idea of common
environmental legislation within the EU.
3
EUROBAROMETER
Number of Interviews: 26,730
Fieldwork Dates: 9th November - 14th December 2007
EU27
Attitudes of European citizens
towards the environment
Number of Interviews: 1,024
Fieldwork Dates: 10th November - 10th December 2007
FR
3. Information about the environment
Q. In general, how informed do you feel about environmental issues?
9%
Q. Do you think that current labels on products allow you to identify
those products that are genuinely environmentally friendly?
3% 5%
6%
13%
1%
5%
5%
Very well informed
Fairly badly informed
33%
56%
50%
39%
outer pie
EU27
outer pie
FR
inner pie
FR
inner pie
Total Yes
Gender
Female
EU27
57%
53%
FR
61%
61%
15-24
25-39
40-54
55+
EU27
54%
57%
57%
54%
FR
59%
63%
65%
56%
40%
29%
EU27
Male
Yes, to some extent
No, not really
30%
Very badly informed
Don't know
Total Informed
Yes, certainly
17%
10%
Fairly well informed
33%
12%
4%
No, not at all
Don't know
Gender
Male
Female
50%
52%
53%
58%
15-24
25-39
40-54
55+
EU27
56%
56%
51%
46%
FR
55%
61%
56%
50%
15-
16-19
EU27
FR
Age
Age
Education (End of)
Education (End of)
15-
16-19
20+
Still Studying
20+
Still Studying
EU27
44%
54%
68%
61%
EU27
46%
53%
54%
56%
FR
50%
61%
65%
62%
FR
50%
56%
59%
55%
French respondents are slightly more likely than their fellow Europeans to identify
environmentally friendly products by their labels. French females, those aged 25-39 and
those who spent the longest periods in education in particular think they can recognise
“green products”. Similar socio-demographic patterns are seen for the EU as a whole.
French respondents are slightly more likely than the average European to feel informed
about environmental issues. As in the EU as a whole, French respondents aged 25-54 and
who have spent longer periods in full-time education are most likely of all to state that they
feel informed.
Q. From the following list, who do you trust most when it comes to environmental issues?
52%
36%
39%
36%
36%
22%
18%
18%
13%
8%
Environmental Scientists
protection
associations
(Greenpeace,
World
Wildlife
Fund, etc.)
Television
11% 12%
Consumer International Newspapers
associations organisations
and other (United Nations,
etc.)
citizens’
organisations
10%
7%
European
Union
9% 7%
National
government
8% 7%
8% 7%
7% 7%
Teachers
Political
Relatives\
at school
parties
family\
standing for or university neighbours\
environment
friends\
(Greens, etc.)
colleagues
6% 5%
5% 5%
Regional\
local
government
The radio
EU27 FR
Above all, the French trust scientists as a source of environmental information. The figure for France is 16 percentage points above that seen for
the EU as a whole. Environmental protection organisations enjoy similar levels of trust in France as in the EU in general, while consumer
associations are considered significantly more reliable by French respondents than by the average European.
The complete data set of this survey can be found in the
Special Eurobarometer report "Attitudes of European citizens towards the environment"
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_295_en.pdf
4
2% 2%
2% 3%
Companies
Trade
unions