BRUSSELS, November 28 (WNM/Reuters/Jan Strupczewski) – Europeans remain more sceptical than the Chinese when it comes to fighting climate change: 59% of Europeans see it as reversible, which is 21 points lower than in China (80%), a study by the European Investment Bank (EIB) showed.

When it comes to how people perceive the impact of their individual actions on fighting climate change, 69% of Europeans think their actions can make a difference, which stands halfway between China’s 72% and the United States’ 65%.

The EIB survey ((https://www.eib.org/de/surveys/2nd-citizen-survey/climate-change-impact.htm) of 30,000 respondents from 30 countries, including China and the United States, showed 47% of Europeans saw climate change as the number one threat in their lives, above unemployment, large scale migration and concerns about terrorism.

"European citizens are highly concerned about climate change and its impact on their everyday life and future," said Emma Navarro, EIB Vice-President responsible for climate action and the environment.

"Interestingly, many of them are optimistic about the possibility to reverse it. Unfortunately, science says otherwise. We have one shot at limiting global warming and mitigating its effects," she said.

The survey, the first of four planned by the EIB, showed the level of concern about climate change was even higher in China than the EU, with 73% of respondents seeing it as the biggest threat to society, compared to 39% in the United States, where most people worried more about access to health services.

"Overall, 82% of Europeans report that climate change has an impact on their everyday lives, a perception that goes up to 98% in China and 76% in the United States," the study said.