Germans remain pro-climate action but worry about costs, study finds

Most Germans continue to support measures to combat climate change in principle, but backing for specific measures has declined, according to a study by the Bertelsmann Foundation and Germany's GFZ research centre.

Support for Germany's energy transition, which aims to shift the country towards cleaner energy sources, has fallen to 60% from 69% five years ago, the study published on Thursday found.

A survey by pollster Forsa found that 55% of respondents were concerned about the personal financial impact of planned climate measures. 

Some 79% said households could not switch to climate-friendly technologies without government support, while 56% considered the government's energy-transition policies difficult to understand.

Study author Anna Meisiek called for climate policies that offer affordable alternatives, provide targeted support and distribute costs fairly.

Co-author Jean-Henri Huttarsch warned that legitimate concerns about economic disadvantages and personal financial burdens could be exploited by political narratives seeking to slow ambitious climate action.

A Forsa survey of 6,566 people aged 18 and over, conducted online between March 23 and April 13, 2026, formed the basis of the study.