Climate action in Europe hinges on voters from the undecided middle

Swiss voters roundly rejected the country’s recent “climate fund” vote, yet climate change still ranks among their top worries. A new study published in March suggests a reason why climate-conscious voters might reject eco-friendly initiatives. As in much of Europe, the success of climate initiatives relies on a large “conditional middle” – voters who care about the climate but judge each proposal through a personal cost–benefit lens, the lead researcher tells Swissinfo in an interview. The debate over such climate policy initiatives often centres on those firmly pro or con, and far less is known about the large group in between. The new study of 19,000 people in 13 countries of the European Union published in the Nature Climate Change scientific journal sheds light on this influential segment. The researchers found that among the Europeans surveyed 36% support most climate proposals and 21% oppose them. Another 33% make up the “conditional middle”, whose views shift depending on ...