Germany has long been regarded as a climate-conscious nation, with strong public support for environmental protection and climate policy. However, recent polling research suggests that this long-standing engagement may be losing momentum.
The UBA’s Environmental Awareness Study, a biennial survey of over 2,500 adults in Germany, shows that although environmental and climate protection remain important to many, their perceived urgency is declining. In autumn 2024, 54% of respondents said environmental protection was “very important,” a noticeable drop from 57% in 2022 and 65% in 2020. Likewise, only 57% still strongly support the goal of limiting global warming to under 2°C. These figures suggest not just shifting priorities but a growing sense of resignation—what the study refers to as climate fatigue. In this context, many citizens appear to be transitioning from a focus on prevention to an acceptance of adaptation, particularly with regard to protecting health, homes, and local quality of life.
This study also emphasizes a concerning decline in public optimism and collective action: only one-third of the population currently believes that Germany is capable of managing the impacts of climate change—a record low since 2002. This pessimism is reinforced by lived experiences: two-thirds of respondents say heatwaves have negatively affected their health, and one in four report inadequate home protection from high temperatures. The vast majority (85%) believe that more needs to be done to protect the public from extreme heat events.
Locally, people tend to feel more satisfied. More than 80% of respondents in the UBA survey report being content with green spaces, clean drinking water, and overall neighborhood cleanliness. However, this satisfaction does not extend to the global scale: only 7% believe the global environmental situation is in good condition. This sharp contrast between local optimism and global pessimism underscores the growing fragmentation in environmental perception.
The UBA study also highlights a disconnect between public perception and scientific consensus. While the risks of biodiversity loss and its links to food systems and agriculture are well established by experts, these issues remain underappreciated by the public. People are more concerned with tangible, localized problems that directly touch their everyday lives.
In line, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung’s study reveals that amid current domestic and foreign policy crises—such as inflation, war in Europe, and economic instability—there has been a marked weakening in society’s tendency to prioritize climate protection over economic growth. This shift reflects how pressing concerns about economic stability, jobs, and energy supply are increasingly competing with environmental goals for public attention and political will. It indicates that, for many Germans, the climate agenda is no longer the uncontested top priority it once was, as broader crises demand urgent attention and reshape public values. In addition, it shows that polarization in Germany is increasing – not surprisingly, green party voters prioritize climate change more compared to the more nationalist conservative party AfD.
This general trend is reinforced by findings from the academic longitudinal study by Reif, Günther, and Brüggemann. Using recurring surveys around UN climate summits, the study identifies five public segments based on belief in and engagement with climate change. While a sizable portion of the population remains committed and politically active (the “Convinced Engaged”), this group has declined since its peak in 2019—a year marked by youth-led protests and intense media attention often described as the “Greta Thunberg effect.” By contrast, the share of less engaged and less informed groups has grown, and for the first time, a small but distinct segment of climate change deniers—about 8% in 2023—has emerged in Germany. This figure represents a doubling since 2015, signaling a modest but meaningful backlash against mainstream climate narratives.
Ultimately, these studies converge on a similar conclusion: Germany is experiencing a quiet but significant shift in environmental attitudes. The decline in informed engagement, the rise in skepticism, and the narrowing focus on immediate, localized concerns all point to a potential erosion of the broad-based climate consensus that once defined the country’s environmental politics. The added pressure of economic and geopolitical crises further complicates the public’s willingness to prioritize climate action over other urgent needs.
To counter this trend, the research stresses the importance of renewed public communication and long-term engagement strategies. This means not only correcting misinformation and deepening scientific understanding but also making climate solutions feel accessible, achievable, and relevant to daily life. Without such efforts, the current trend toward polarization, apathy, and competing priorities may continue—threatening not only Germany’s climate goals but also the broader public will necessary to achieve them.
This Post was submitted by, Climate Scorecard Germany Country Manager, Monique de Ritter.