Global public evenly divided on limiting recovery aid to the green economy
A new Ipsos survey on behalf of the World Economic Forum shows that global public opinion is divided on whether financial aid and incentives to revive the economy in the aftermath of the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic should be provided only to businesses that have taken measures to reduce their carbon footprint.
The survey of more than 19,000 adults from 27 countries finds 38% saying aid should go to all sectors and businesses in need, only if they have taken demonstrable measures to significantly reduce their carbon emissions and their impact on the environment, compared to 36% saying that this should not be a prerequisite, and 26% saying they are not sure.
With very few exceptions, citizens from emerging countries are more likely than those from more affluent countries to favor limiting post-COVID-19 stimulus aid to “green” sectors and companies. Conditioning recovery aid to the green economy is supported by a majority of adults surveyed in China, Malaysia, Mexico, and India.
The countries where support for dispensing government aid to businesses regardless of their environmental impact is most prevalent are among those that have been hit by the coronavirus pandemic the hardest: Italy (52%), Great Britain (50%), the United States (46%) and Spain (45%).
