Veolia and Elabe present the 2nd edition of the global barometer of ecological transformation

"Ecological Transformation: Are We (Still) Ready?"

Since 2022, Veolia, in partnership with Elabe, has published the biennial Ecological Transformation Barometer, an exclusive global opinion survey, focusing on the degree of acceptability of ecological solutions and analyzing the obstacles and levers for action to speed up the transformation. The survey covers a sample representing more than half of the world's population, distributed across five continents.

The second edition provides a unique insight into the understanding of the consequences of climate change by people around the world. They express growing concern for their health and perceive a threat to their living conditions in the face of environmental challenges. Aware of these dangers, people worldwide are calling for action.

To address these challenges, populations assert their readiness to accept necessary changes to scale up existing solutions to combat climate change and pollution. Their desire to act is motivated by the need to protect against environmental and climate crises. They consider that the cost of inaction will be much higher than that of action.

Find the full results for France and Worldwide at this link

Key Global Results

• 97% of the world's inhabitants believe that health is the primary concern when it comes to local decisions on water, waste, and energy, ahead of the final price.
• 64% of the world’s inhabitants feel vulnerable to health risks caused by climate change. These health risks manifest in increased infectious diseases, pollution, decreased quality of food, and mental health issues.
• 67% of the world’s inhabitants believe that a solution that promotes the preservation of their health would encourage them to change their habits or accept a slightly higher cost.
• 66% of the world’s inhabitants are convinced that inaction will cost humanity more than ecological action.

"We stand at a crossroads. Faced with the climate challenge, radical action and ecological pause collide. Both present major social, economic, and ecological risks. Veolia offers a third way: ecology that transforms our economies to protect populations. Ecological transformation cannot, and must not, occur without the citizens of the world. Listening helps to understand the concerns and needs of everyone, to identify the levers of change that are not only acceptable but desirable, and to find meaning and motivation for change in building a sustainable future", said Estelle Brachlianoff, CEO of Veolia. "The results of the second edition of the Barometer of Ecological Transformation testify to a global public opinion firmly focused on action. There is a high level of expectation for the protection of our health through the elimination of pollution and the protection of our territories from extreme climatic phenomena. This is the lesson that will guide our actions in the years to come".

For Bernard Sananès, President of the research and consulting institute Elabe:

"While voices are rising in many countries calling for an ecological pause, the second edition of the barometer of ecological transformation reveals a global public opinion mostly convinced that inaction will cost humanity more than the investments necessary for ecological transition. Across all continents, populations fear a deterioration of their living conditions and are afraid of falling ill due to pollution. In 18 months, the failure of ecological imagination and the perceived lack of concrete results have pushed many countries into fatalism. But everywhere, the protection of health has become a powerful lever to create a desire for ecology and to accept behavior changes or the additional costs of ecological solutions".

Key points on the financial acceptability of ecological solutions in France

Decarbonize

8 out of 10 people in the world are willing to pay a little more for locally produced energy from non-recyclable waste and biomass in order to: 
secure their country's energy supply
and reduce CO₂ emissions generated by energy production.

Regenerating resources

79% (+10% vs. 2022) are willing to consume food from agriculture that uses recycled water, in cases where water reuse reduces the risk of water shortages for consumption, agriculture and the country's economy.
66% (+13% compared to 2022) are prepared to drink water produced by recycling wastewater to reduce the risk of water shortages. 
8 out of 10 of the world's inhabitants are prepared to pay a little more for electrical and electronic appliances if the battery and the appliance are recycled, and to limit pollution linked to the extraction of rare metals.

Depollute

84% are prepared to pay a little more for water, and
81% for fruit and vegetables, to finance solutions to deal with water and soil pollution (including 33% и 31% without hesitation).
Health risks are deemed unacceptable. They motivate a decision in favor of eliminating micropollutants from water and cleaning up agricultural soils.