But 9 out of 10 Britons surveyed are ready to make changes to tackle climate change with the right help according to an independent research to mark second Green Britain Day
17 June 2010
- The Spanish win out as Europe’s most sustainable people – four out of five (83%) of those surveyed have already made changes to live a greener lifestyle
- Britain in sixth place – but overwhelming majority say they are ready to save energy if the right support is available
- The Germans are in 10th place – with nearly one in ten (9%) of respondents admitting they drive ‘gas guzzlers’ every day and more than half (57%) leaving appliances on standby over night
- The French score highly with 46% of their energy from low carbon sources – but loses out through its carnivorous diet – just under half (44%) of the average French calorie intake is meat. This is important because meat production is regarded as having higher climate impact than other food types.
- Washing at home can waste energy – the French use most, with 86% taking a bath or shower every day from those surveyed – in contrast, under half (41%) of Turks say they bathe or shower daily
- The Swedes are Europe’s eco travellers – 65% say they use public transport, bikes or walk every day, compared to just 30% of Italians
- Londoners tend to be Britain’s most eco active – 85% of those surveyed have already made changes to their lifestyle
|
Rank |
Country |
LEAF Factor |
| 1 | Spain | 65.3 |
| 2 | Italy | 65.1 |
| 3= | Turkey | 65.0 |
| 3= | France | 65.0 |
| 5 | Russia | 63.5 |
| 6 | Great Britain | 62.6 |
| 7 | Sweden | 62.4 |
| 8 | Switzerland | 62.2 |
| 9 | Netherlands | 61.1 |
| 10 | Germany | 61.0 |
Britain is losing out to France, Italy and Spain in the race to become a truly sustainable nation, according to a new study by Imperial College London commissioned by EDF Energy to celebrate Green Britain Day. The study analysed attitudes and habits to create a LEAF (Low Energy Alternative Future) Factor for ten top European countries. It places Britain sixth in a table of 10 comparable European countries, showing that while we are making strides towards a more sustainable future, there is still some way to go in the race against climate change. However, 9 out of 10 Britons say they are ready to make a change if the right support is in place. Team Green Britain was founded by EDF Energy to help people act on their desire to change and start saving money and energy.
The independent research asked 5,700 people around Europe for their views on sustainability and low energy living. The data was analysed by Imperial College London’s Energy Futures Lab, led by its Director, Professor Nigel Brandon. EDF Energy operates a low-carbon combined heat and power station at Imperial College
The academics at Imperial College compared the results of the research with information on each country’s energy consumption, energy generation, international travel and food intake from a range of recognised sources such as the World Bank and the International Environment Agency (IEA). The research was grouped into three areas EDF Energy has identified where people can change their daily habits and make a difference to their energy consumption: Home, Travel and Food, as well as more general information about people’s level of concern about climate change. While other factors could influence this, the findings nevertheless show huge differences in peoples’ understanding of the climate challenges facing Europe, and not only between different countries but also around Britain, where attitudes varied greatly.
Commenting on the findings, Eva Eisenschimmel, Chief Operating Officer at EDF Energy said:
‘As we all celebrate the second Green Britain Day, EDF Energy wanted to take a look at how we’re doing as a country compared to our European neighbours as the challenge of climate change affects all of us. The results of the poll show we can all learn lessons about the best ways to become truly sustainable.
‘A huge majority of Britons are willing to make changes to save energy in our daily lives if the right support can be put in place. That’s why we’re once again encouraging people to make simple changes in the daily lives to save money and energy by joining the growing Team Green Britain movement. As the UK’s largest producer of low carbon electricity and London 2012’s first sustainability partner, EDF Energy has created Team Green Britain to inspire and enable people across the country to take action against climate change.’
Professor Nigel Brandon, Director of the Energy Futures Lab at Imperial College London was surprised by some of the findings of the research. ‘This study, commissioned by EDF Energy, was fascinating to be a part of because it shows the huge differences both in attitude and in habits of people across Europe when it comes to climate change. We didn’t expect people in the Netherlands to be so indifferent to climate change given its vulnerability to sea level rise, whilst there was real passion about the issue from respondents in some countries such as Spain, Italy and France. It all helps to build a more complete picture of how habits follow attitudes when it comes to the environment, and we are looking forward to seeing Britain moving steadily up the league table.’
Attitudes and Action
The researchers found significant differences between the ten country responses in three areas in particular. The first area is concern about climate change – most concerned were the Italians, French and Spanish, with over 77% of people feeling ‘quite’ or ‘very concerned’. Least concerned were the Netherlands, where 61% were ‘only a little’ or ‘not at all’ concerned about climate change. In Britain 54% of people were ‘quite’ or ‘very concerned’ about climate change.
When questioned about whether they felt that climate change was happening, only 17% of respondents in the Netherlands said that they felt it was a ‘serious and urgent problem and that radical steps must be taken now’, in contrast to 61% in top placed Italy. In Britain, which came only 9th in this question, 29% of respondents said that they felt that climate change was a ‘serious and urgent problem and that radical steps must be taken now’.
Up in the Air
The second significant difference relates to the choices of destinations when flying on business or for pleasure. In Turkey only 9% of respondents indicated that they take a long haul flight every year – the most carbon intensive form of travel – whereas in Switzerland this is 27%.
Energy Saving Begins at Home
The third difference was in the level of home insulation. The results of the survey indicated that Britons came top of the list – reflecting Britain’s colder climate – with over 70% having loft insulation, and 70% having secondary or double glazing. The lowest level of insulation from the survey was found in Spain, where 10% of homes had loft insulation and 48% secondary or double glazing. The Spanish also tend to use the most air conditioning, with 41% of Spaniards using it to cool their homes, compared to 6% in Britain.
Helping People to Help Themselves
The research also uncovered a shared view across Europe that the one thing that will encourage people to save energy in the home is financial support – 54% of those surveyed said this would make them change their habits. Encouragingly, only a small number -10% - of British respondents said nothing would make them change, with the remaining 90% willing to make changes to save energy in our daily lives if the right support can be put in place.
- ends -
For more information, please contact:
|
Weber Shandwick contact Kat McGettigan Ph: +44 (0) 207 067 0253 |
Mike Stuart Ph: +44 020 7089 0315 e-mail: michael.stuart@edfenergy.com |
Additional findings
Keeping the home fires burning
Home energy consumption was a large factor creating the LEAF factor. According to the survey, Russians have the highest energy consumption per household, and Spanish the lowest at just half that used by the average Russian family, with Britain in fourth place. The researchers found that a large part of these differences are due to climate – but this alone can’t explain the Russians hunger for home heat, as the survey found that Swedes, with a similar climate, have one of the lowest household energy consumptions found in Europe.
Around the home, researchers from Imperial College also looked at what appliances are owned by people around Europe, how often they’re used and when they’re turned off standby – with some surprising results. The study found that Europe’s mums and dads are the most active gamers and TV viewers, with far more of those surveyed admitting to hogging the ‘leisure’ appliances such as TVs, games consoles and computers, with teenagers being the lowest users across all ten countries surveyed.
European Forecast: Variable chance of showers
Washing and bathing consumes a large amount of energy every day in homes across Europe, so this was an area the team paid particular attention to when calculating each country’s overall LEAF Factor. The results suggest the French use the most water for this purpose, with 86% taking a daily bath or shower, compared to Turkey where under half that number (41%) shower or bathe every day. In Britain, 68% of respondents said they wash at least once a day, although 5% make do with once a week, and a worrying 1% admit to even less than that. And when Europeans step out of the bathroom, the Dutch are the most likely to let their hair dry naturally, with 36% of respondents saying they don’t own a hairdryer or straighteners. In contrast, 44% of the Italian respondents wash daily, but they really do enjoy their grooming – 36% of them own two or more hair styling appliances.
Travelling towards a greener future
The LEAF Factor also took into account Europe’s travel habits, measuring how many journeys each day are taken by car or public transport, and giving an insight into the cars we drive. The Swedes are showing the way to a greener future, with 65% of respondents taking trains, trams, buses, bicycles or walking each day, compared to just 30% of Italians. But it’s the Germans and Russians who are guzzling gas on the daily commute – 9% confess to driving petrol or diesel cars with engines over 2 litres, with Britons not far behind on 7%.
The survey indicated it’s the Dutch who are doing the most to stop the carbon cycle – 31% of those surveyed ride their bike every day, compared to 1% of Russians and Spaniards, and just 2% of Britons.
We are what we eat
The Imperial College research team also looked at food, where particular attention was paid to the volume of meat consumed in the average national diet. Eating less meat is a simple way for people to reduce their environmental impact, as meat production is estimated to be responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UN*. France was found to be the home of the carnivore, with 44%** of the French diet made up of meat. By contrast, 14% of their daily food intake of Turks comes from meat. In Britain just over a third (36%) of our diet is meat, putting us behind France, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and Sweden.
Power to the People
The final important area is energy generation, looking at the proportion of our energy created from low carbon sources such as nuclear and renewables, and the carbon dioxide emissions per capita in each country. The Netherlands generates more energy from fossil fuels than all the countries surveyed, with 93% of their energy coming from burning coal, gas and oil, followed by Italy at 91%. Britain lies in third place, with 90% of the energy we use coming from fossil fuels every day, in stark contrast to Sweden where just 33% of their energy comes from burning fossil fuels***. Top of the low carbon energy producers are France and Sweden with 46% of their energy coming from low carbon sources, mainly due to a high proportion of nuclear in their energy mix.
*Source: ‘Livestock's Long Shadow - Environmental Issues and Options’, a United Nations report, released by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) on 29 November 2006
| **Source | : FAO Statistical Yearbook 2009 | ||
| http://www.fao.org/economic/ess/publications-studies/statistical-yearbook/fao-statistical-yearbook-2009/en/ | |||
** Source: World Bank 2008 data
(Low Energy) Spotlight on Britain
The researchers found that opinions didn’t just differ around Europe but also around Britain. The survey indicated that the Welsh are Britain’s most eco conscious, with 30% of people very concerned about climate change, compared to the West Midlands where that figure falls to just 12%. However, it’s in London where people are most actively working towards a greener lifestyle – 85% of Londoners surveyed have already made changes to their lifestyle, compared to the East Midlands where 11% of people haven’t made any changes to their habits and don’t believe they need to.
However, while Londoners are working towards a greener lifestyle, they have yet to get around to making their home more energy efficient, with 36% of Londoners surveyed admitted to having no insulation at home, whereas just 3% of respondents from East Midlands have no home insulation.
Notes to editors:
About the LEAF Factor
Answers to a set of 16 questions were ranked according to which is “best” for reducing its impact on the environment. For example, if a respondent indicates they are “not at all concerned” about climate change, this would attract the lowest mark for that category. Alternatively, if a respondent says that they have made “major changes to their lifestyle” as a result of concern about climate change, this would attract a very high mark. All possible responses are for each question are on a linear scale between the most negative (zero) and most positive (one) response. The only factor of importance that is not drawn from the survey data relates to food consumption; where countries that consume more, and have a higher portion of meat in their diets, score the lowest marks (and vice-versa).
The country-wide average response to each question is then weighted according to the importance of that particular question in terms of climate change. For example, how frequently a respondent takes “global” flights is deemed to be quite important, as is whether or not the respondent believes “climate change is happening and radical action should be taken now”. At the other end of the spectrum, how frequently a respondent uses, for example, hair straighteners has a low weighting because it has less impact on carbon emissions and therefore climate change.
Finally, the LEAF score is calculated by finding the product of each question-weighting combination, and then summing these for each country. The resulting number is divided by the “perfect” score, and then multiplied by 100, to arrive at the LEAF factor (a number between 0 and 100). As such, the LEAF factor is designed so that a perfect country would score 100, and an environmentally unfriendly country would score zero.
About Green Britain Day
Green Britain Day was founded by EDF Energy, the UK’s largest producer of low carbon electricity, together with partners London 2012 and two leading environmental organisations, the Eden Project and Global Action Plan. It signals the launch of a fun-filled summer of inspirational events, bringing communities together to think and act greener. Throughout the summer, the Team Green Britain celebrity ambassadors and a number of Olympic and Paralympic athletes will be lending their support and getting involved with events across the UK.
About Imperial College London
Consistently rated amongst the world's best universities, Imperial College London is a science-based institution with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research that attracts 14,000 students and 6,000 staff of the highest international quality. Innovative research at the College explores the interface between science, medicine, engineering and business, delivering practical solutions that improve quality of life and the environment - underpinned by a dynamic enterprise culture.
Since its foundation in 1907, Imperial's contributions to society have included the discovery of penicillin, the development of holography and the foundations of fibre optics. This commitment to the application of research for the benefit of all continues today, with current focuses including interdisciplinary collaborations to improve global health, tackle climate change, develop sustainable sources of energy and address security challenges.
In 2007, Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust formed the UK’s first Academic Health Science Centre. This unique partnership aims to improve the quality of life of patients and populations by taking new discoveries and translating them into new therapies as quickly as possible.
EDF Energy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Imperial College to set up a research alliance. Within this alliance, EDF Energy is supporting a chair in structural integrity jointly with the Royal Academy of Engineering, a Research Council Fellowship, and is funding a student under the Engineering Doctorate Centre in Nuclear Engineering. Imperial College also works with EDF Research & Development
Website: www.imperial.ac.uk
About EDF Energy
EDF Energy is one of the UK’s largest energy companies, producing around one-fifth of the nation's electricity from its nuclear, coal and gas power stations, as well as combined heat and power plants and wind farms. The company provides power to a quarter of the UK’s population via its electricity distribution networks and supplies gas and electricity to more than 5.5 million business and residential customers. It is the largest supplier of electricity based on volume supplied to major business in Britain.
EDF Energy’s safe and secure operation of its eight existing nuclear power stations at sites across the country makes it the UK’s largest generator of low carbon electricity. EDF Energy is also leading the UK's nuclear renaissance and has published plans to build four new nuclear reactors, subject to the right investment framework. These new plants could generate enough low carbon electricity for about 40% of Britain’s homes. They would make an important contribution to the UK’s future needs for clean, secure and affordable energy. The project is already creating business and job opportunities for British companies and workers.
Through Our Sustainability Commitments, EDF Energy has launched one of the biggest environmental and social programmes of any UK energy company. EDF is the official energy utilities partner and sustainability partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The company is also helping its customers and others use energy more sustainably through products and initiatives such as Team Green Britain.
EDF Energy is part of EDF Group, one of Europe’s largest power companies. Following the integration with British Energy in 2009, the company employs nearly 20,000 people at locations across the UK.