People over the age of 50 in Belgium know more about the causes and consequences of climate change than younger generations, according to a new survey by the European Investment Bank (EIB).
The sixth edition of the EIB Climate Survey asked more than 30,000 respondents across the EU about their knowledge of the causes, consequences and solutions to climate change.
Belgian respondents scored an average of 6.49/10 on the survey, slightly higher than the EU average score of 6.37/10. Among the countries polled, respondents in Finland showed the highest level of knowledge about climate change (7.22/10), followed by Luxembourg (7.19/10) and Sweden (6.96/10).
The survey found that Belgians have a good grasp of the causes and consequences of climate change, but there is still some room for improvement in their knowledge of solutions - mirroring findings across Europe.
The EIB also identified a generational gap among those surveyed in Belgium, as those over 50 demonstrated a greater knowledge of the causes and consequences of climate change (7.00/10) compared to younger generations under 50 (6.09/10).
Definitions and causes
Knowledge on climate change definitions and causes among Belgian respondents was slightly lower than the EU average (7.19/10 compared to 7.21/10).
More than two-thirds of Belgian respondents (72%) correctly defined climate change as a long-term shift in global climate patterns, while 7% believed that climate change is a "hoax".
Three-quarters (72%) recognised human activities such as deforestation, agriculture, industry and transport as the main culprits, while the rest attributed it to natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions and heatwaves (16%), or to the hole in the ozone layer (12%).
Impacts
Some 80% of Belgian respondents knew that climate change has a negative impact on human health, and 85% were correct in saying that it is worsening world hunger.
Rising sea levels were recognised by 79% of Belgian respondents, however misconceptions persist among more than a fifth of respondents: 11% believed that climate change has no impact on sea levels and 10% believed that the global sea level is going down.
Solutions
Belgian respondents demonstrated a lower level of knowledge on solutions to climate change, scoring 4.51/10 (compared to an EU average of 4.25/10).
While almost three-quarters of Belgian respondents are aware of solutions such as recycling (71%) and the use of public transport instead of individual cars (59%), nearly three in ten (29%) were unaware that recycling can help mitigate climate change.
Only a small majority (53%) are aware of the positive impact of building insulation, while just 41% are aware that buying fewer clothes can reduce our impact on the climate. A large share of Belgian respondents (70%) did not know that reducing speed limits on roads can help combat climate change.
The EIB is the EU's long-term lending institution. Recent investments were made to support Belgium's green transition, including for sustainable public transport in Brussels, energy-efficient schools and public infrastructure in Wallonia and wastewater treatment plants throughout Flanders.
The EIB also finances wind farms off the Belgian coast and a €1 billion fund to support climate mitigation measures and the construction of social housing to help Belgium cope with the impact of extreme weather events.
