A Climate for Change

Human Development Report - Croatia 2008 Public Perceptions/ Knowledge about Climate Change^27

2.3. Public support to reduce

emissions

The second aspect of public knowledge and opinion
that should be examined is the level of public support
for policies and actions to reduce emissions. The sur-
vey presented a series of questions to establish what
Croatians felt their individual responsibility and the
country’s responsibility should be in addressing cli-
mate change. This perception is an important basis
from which policies and actions involving people in
climate change mitigation and adaptation measures
can be developed.

2.3.1. Public support for policies to reduce

emissions

Q. 9: “With regard to reducing emissions that cause
climate change, do you think that Croatia does more
than/ less than/ the same as developed countries/ the
average EU member state?”

Q. 10: “Leaders of major developed countries

are currently working to address their emissions,

including the goal among EU countries of reducing

energy consumption by 20%, emissions by 20%,

and having 20% of energy come from renewable

sources by 2020. With regard to reducing emissions

that cause climate change, do you think that

Croatia should do more than/ less than/ the same as

developed countries/ the average EU member state?”

Figure 2-8: Responses to Survey Q. 9

Figure 2-9: Responses to Survey Q. 10

Croatia’s future activity to reduce emissions

The same as the average EU

member state

More than the average EU

member state

Don’t know, not sure

Less than the average EU

member state

52%

29%

5%

14%

A large number

of respondents

feel that in the

future Croatia

should do more

than or the same

as other EU

members

The same as the average

EU member state

Less than the average EU

Don’t know, not sure member state

More than the average EU

member state

37%

4%

6%

54%

In general Croatians are very supportive of country-

wide policies to reduce emissions and believe that more

should be done. Question 9 was formulated to find out

respondents’ perceptions of how much Croatia is doing

to address climate change. Question 10 sought to find

out how much the country should be doing in compari-

son to the EU and other developed countries. Almost

half of the respondents think Croatia is currently doing

less to reduce emissions than EU members and other

developed countries. A large number of respondents

feel that in the future Croatia should do more than or the

same as other EU members. In a recent Eurobarometer

survey, the majority of Croatians expressed support for

the three EU 2020 goals, believing these targets to be ei-

ther “about right” or indeed “too modest.”^8 High expecta-

tions from one’s own government and institutions (such

as businesses) serve as a good foundation for an active

approach towards climate change. This may be expected

given the sense among many countries in transition that

the government should be “doing more” in general.