Swiss Urgency on Climate Action Cools as Fatalism Rises

For Immediate Release

Geneva, Switzerland – April 21, 2026 - Ipsos, one of the world's leading global market research companies, today announced the findings of its new 31-country study, the People & Climate Change 2026 report. The survey explores global perceptions of climate change risks and attitudes towards the energy transition. Over 23,700 people were surveyed, including approximately 500 participants in Switzerland, revealing a growing sense of detachment and fatalism among the Swiss public compared to their global and European counterparts.

The 2026 report indicates that while the physical impacts of climate change are accelerating, the sense of individual responsibility in Switzerland has continued to decline. This year's findings highlight a population that is increasingly likely to believe it is too late to act, a sentiment that sets them apart from their neighbours.

Key findings for Switzerland from the Ipsos People and Climate Change Report include:

•    Declining Sense of Individual Responsibility: The belief that inaction on climate change is a failure to future generations has weakened. Only half of the Swiss (50%) now agree with this statement, a significant 14-percentage point drop since 2021. This level of concern is considerably lower than the global average of 61% and that of neighbouring countries like France (63%) and Italy (62%).
•    Rise in Climate Fatalism: A concerning trend shows that the Swiss are more likely to feel that climate change is beyond control. 29% of Swiss respondents agree with the statement "Climate change is beyond our control – it's too late to do anything about it." This is higher than the global average (25%) and notably more pessimistic than Germany (18%), Italy (21%), and France (26%).
•    Lower Demand for Government and Business Action: Fewer Swiss citizens are demanding greater action from institutions. 48% believe Switzerland should do more to fight climate change, which is well below the global average of 59% and less than in Italy (66%) and France (53%). Similarly, the expectation for businesses to act is lower, with only 46% of Swiss agreeing that businesses will be failing employees and customers if they don't act now, compared to a 57% global average.
•    Ambivalence on National Leadership: Public opinion is divided on Switzerland's role in the global climate fight. Only 26% of Swiss citizens believe their country is a "world leader in the fight against climate change," a figure on par with the global average (27%) but countered by 31% who disagree, with a large portion remaining uncertain.
•    Perceptions of Sacrifice Remain Stable: About one-third of Swiss respondents (31%) feel their country is being asked to sacrifice too much to tackle climate change. This is slightly below the global average (33%) and has decreased marginally from 33% in 2025, suggesting that the cost of action is not the primary driver of the growing apathy.

Implications for Brands and Governments

While Swiss expectations for institutional action are lower than the global average, the report highlights that this is not a sign for leaders to retreat. Instead, it points to a growing sense of powerlessness where people are looking beyond themselves for leadership.

For brands, this creates a complex challenge. While only 46% of Swiss expect businesses to act, the global data shows that retreating from ESG communication is not the answer. Consumers want to hear about a company's impact, but a trust gap persists. The key is not more messaging, but better messaging grounded in credible, tangible action that is relevant to people's lives.

For governments, the findings show a clear "confidence gap." Globally, people see governments as having the greatest ability to drive change, but they are more likely to say their government lacks a clear plan (32%) than to say it has one (30%). The lower demand for action in Switzerland (48% vs. 59% global average) suggests that public support is conditional. The challenge for the government is not just to act, but to make the transition feel clear, fair, and achievable through concrete plans and visible delivery.

"The 2026 findings reveal a Switzerland at a psychological turning point. While the country is physically more exposed to warming than many others, there's a clear cooling of public urgency and a concerning rise in climate fatalism," shares Marcus Burke, ESG Lead at Ipsos in Switzerland.

"This growing disconnect between the scientific reality and public sentiment poses a significant challenge. Switzerland's temperature is rising at about twice the global average rate. This accelerated warming is due to its landlocked geography, which lacks the moderating effect of oceans, and the topography of the Alps. As snow and glaciers melt, the darker rock and soil exposed absorb more heat, further amplifying the warming effect in a process known as the 'albedo effect'. These factors contribute to more frequent and intense heatwaves, drier summers, increased risk of natural disasters, and threats to agriculture and iconic landscapes. It underscores a critical need for renewed leadership from government and business to re-engage the public, bridge the gap between awareness and action, and build a compelling, positive vision for a sustainable future that moves beyond sacrifice and towards opportunity."

Access the full report here

*The “31-country average” reflects the average result across all countries and markets where the survey was conducted. It has not been adjusted for the population size of individual countries or markets and is not intended to represent an overall result.

TECHNICAL NOTE

Ipsos interviewed a total of 23,704 people between Friday, January 23, and Friday, February 6, 2026. The sample consists of approximately 1,000 individuals each in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, and the U.S., and 500 individuals each in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, and Türkiye. The sample in India consists of approximately 2,200 individuals, of whom approximately 1,800 were interviewed face-to-face and 400 were interviewed online.  

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