A large majority of the world's population supports climate protection measures. 89 percent would like to see more political commitment, 69 percent would be prepared to spend one percent of their income on climate protection measures. However, cost-benefit considerations play a major role for private property owners.
On the right track: In Germany, almost half of the electricity generated domestically and fed into the grid in 2024 came from renewable energy sources. Overall, electricity generation from these sources rose by 2.3% year-on-year to 256.4 billion kilowatt hours, reaching a new high. Electricity generation from conventional energy sources fell by 11.0% to 175.1 billion kilowatt hours in 2024 compared to the previous year.
In a study, environmental economist Prof. Dr. Heinz Welsch from the University of Oldenburg has investigated the links between national climate targets and the public's willingness to protect the climate. Cost-benefit considerations, ethical principles and citizens' preferences play an important role in this. The factors "income per capita" and "emissions per capita" as well as the average temperatures of the previous ten years proved to be decisive.
In Germany, the failed coalition government's climate protection measures contributed to the uncertainty of many German citizens. In times of economic stagnation and rising inflation, it was not easy for property owners to see a positive cost-benefit balance for investments in existing buildings.
According to the researcher, an ambitious climate protection policy would be easier to implement if the economic and social effects of climate protection measures were perceived more positively. One possibility, for example, would be a climate money that distributes revenue from emissions levies to economically weaker sections of the population.
It is to be hoped that the new government in the coming legislative period will be better able to support private property owners' willingness to invest.
Photo: © Solarimo, Pixabay
