Ahead of the Cop29 climate conference in Azerbaijan this week, the Earth observation component of the European Union’s space programme Copernicus on 7 November that the year 2024 is “virtually certain to be the warmest year.” It’s likely to be the first year where the annual temperature will be more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial level.
Against this backdrop, the European Investment Bank on 11 November 2024 released the seventh edition of its annual climate survey. It found that nearly three-quarters (72%) of Europeans say they will have to adapt their lifestyle due to the effects of climate change. In Luxembourg, 50% of respondents said they think they would have to adapt the way they live because of climate change. Those who expect to have to adapt their lifestyles the most live in the Mediterranean region (Malta, Cyprus, Greece and Italy).
Roughly four out of five (82%) of people in Luxembourg said that spending on climate change adaptation now is required in order to avoid greater costs in the future, in line with the EU average (85%). “This year we have seen the tragic impact of extreme weather events in Central Europe and most recently in my own country Spain, where many have lost their lives and thousands made homeless,” EIB president said in a press release. “The survey released today confirms that people know we must act now to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change. An orderly transition also makes the most economic sense. Every €1 invested in prevention and resilience saves between €5 and €7 in repairing damage.”
In Luxembourg, 83% of respondents agree that investing in climate adaptation infrastructure can help create jobs and boost the local economy (86% in the EU27 hold the same view). “By making the necessary investments today, we can protect communities, create quality jobs and strengthen local economies. Acting quickly will increase the resilience of our societies and reduce the long-term costs of inaction,” commented EIB vice-president Ambroise Fayolle.
Impact of extreme weather events
The survey also investigated how extreme weather events like floods, drought or heatwaves have impacted the everyday lives of Europeans. At the EU level, more than half (55%) of respondents said that extreme heat and heatwaves have had a direct negative impact on their everyday life in the last five years.
One-third in the EU (35%) cited drought; 34% cited severe storms or hail. One in five had been negatively impacted by wildfire (21%) or by inland flooding (20%).
In Luxembourg, 47% said they had been impacted by extreme heat and heatwaves; 30% by drought; 42% by severe storms or hail; 6% by wildfire; and 41% by inland flooding.
Who should pay for climate change adaptations?
39% of respondents in Luxembourg said the businesses and industries that contribute most to climate change should bear the cost of climate change adaptation (compared to 35% across the EU). 30% of people in Luxembourg think everyone should bear the cost equally through taxes (in line with the EU average of 32%). Only 14% of respondents in the grand duchy said that wealthier individuals should pay for climate change adaptations through higher taxes (15% for the EU).
Top challenges: cost of living, climate, migration
Just under half (45%) of respondents in Luxembourg said climate change was one of the biggest challenges the country was facing. Economic challenges took the top step on the podium: 71% in the grand duchy think the increased cost of living is the biggest challenge people currently face. Large-scale migration came in third place, cited by 32% of survey respondents.
This year’s survey, conducted by the market research and consulting firm BVA Xsight, polled 24,000 people across the United States and the 27 countries of the European Union in August 2024. In Luxembourg, 500 people were surveyed online.