Only one in three Bulgarians takes measures against climate change, while in the rest of the EU this share reaches 59 percent, a study shows

BRUSSELS – In Bulgaria, only 33 percent of people have taken measures against climate change this year, while in the rest of the EU, this share is almost double – 59 percent. This is shown by data from a survey by Eurobarometer, presented by the European Commission.

In the EU, 64 percent say they use separate waste collection, while in Bulgaria this share is 28 percent. While 49 percent in the EU have taken measures not to use pollutants in their daily lives, such as plastic bags, in Bulgaria only 34 percent have taken such measures, the data shows.

Climate change is a very serious problem according to 37 percent in the EU (41 percent of Bulgarians) or a serious issue (48 percent in the EU and 46 percent in Bulgaria). The majority (81 percent in the EU and 73 percent in Bulgaria) express support for the EU’s goal of achieving clean production by 2050.

According to the majority (85-86 percent), overcoming environmental changes should be a top priority, and investments for this purpose are smaller than the potential damages according to 77 percent in the EU and 67 percent of Bulgarians. National media do not provide enough information on these issues, say 52 percent in the EU and 55 percent of Bulgarian participants in the survey.

When asked what they consider to be the biggest concern for the world, 61 percent in the EU and 67 percent in Bulgaria point to armed conflicts. In second place are poverty, hunger, and lack of water (50 percent in the EU and 52 percent in Bulgaria), and in third place – the economic situation, according to 47 percent of responses in the EU and 52 percent of participants from Bulgaria.

At the beginning of the month, the European Commission gave a positive assessment of the amended version of Bulgaria’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). The plan now includes a chapter dedicated to the REPowerEU initiative, with new measures to combat energy poverty, support for the liberalization of the electricity market, as well as promoting the deployment, storage, and use of renewable energy sources. A focus of the plan is the green transition – 49.9 percent of the total resource is directed towards climate-related measures. (June 30)