Proposal requested for a worker safety directive concerning electronic equipment risks, as assigned to the Commission.
The goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees, set by the international community at the Paris climate conference in 2015, is becoming increasingly unrealistic, according to scientists. This concern is shared by some Germans, as a recent survey reveals.
The survey, conducted between September 12 and 15, 2025, involved a total of 2,057 eligible voters and is representative, according to the polling institute YouGov. The results show that a clear majority of 60% of German respondents believe that climate protection will make life in Germany more expensive in the long run. On the other hand, only 17% believe that climate protection will make life cheaper in the long run.
The survey also reveals that 36% of respondents wish for the German government to do more for climate protection. However, only 24% expect the government to support the regulation to phase out new cars with gasoline or diesel engines in 2035. In contrast, 44% of Germans demand that the federal government oppose the ban on new diesel and gasoline cars. Another 19% want the government to advocate for a delay in the ban.
The strongest resistance to the combustion engine phase-out comes from AfD voters. On the other hand, the planned phase-out found majority support only among Green and Left Party supporters. The survey also shows that 29% are satisfied with the current course of climate protection.
The goal of this regulation is to reduce CO2 emissions in the transport sector. The decision to phase out new cars with gasoline or diesel engines from 2035 was made in 2022. This regulation has been met with opposition from some quarters, including representatives from the Union parties and the economy, who are putting pressure on the EU to withdraw the decision. The German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), represented by its president Hildegard Müller, has actively opposed the planned ban, calling for a reality check and policy adjustment in the EU climate policies affecting the automotive sector.
Last year, the Earth's temperature was 1.6 degrees above the pre-industrial level, according to EU figures. With the increasing urgency to address climate change, it remains to be seen how the German government will navigate the public's expectations and the opposition to the combustion engine phase-out.
