Europeans are overwhelmingly convinced that human activity is contributing to global warming, and a majority would be prepared to accept restrictions on their lifestyle to combat it, according to a poll for the Financial Times. Research carried out this month by Harris Interactive in Germany, France, the UK, Italy and Spain found that 86 per cent of people believed humans were contributing to climate change, and 45 per cent thought it would be a threat to them and their families within their lifetimes. More than two-thirds - 68 per cent - said they would either strongly or somewhat support restrictions on their behaviour and purchases in order to reduce the threat. Climate change has been rising up the political agenda in Europe. The recent British government report by Sir Nicholas Stern, former chief economist of the World Bank, argued that the economic costs of global warming could be far greater than the costs of acting to limit it. The poll also found Europeans were more willing to accept curbs on their lifestyles in principle than to endorse specific additional burdens. Less than half - 43 per cent - either strongly or somewhat supported a charge on airline passengers to pay for environmental damage, while 36 per cent opposed it, either strongly or somewhat. Support was weakest in Italy and Spain, possibly because of fears about the effect on their tourist industries.
Research carried out this month by Harris Interactive in Germany, France, the UK, Italy and Spain found that 86 per cent of people believed humans were contributing to climate change, and 45 per cent thought it would be a threat to them and their families within their lifetimes.
More than two-thirds - 68 per cent - said they would either strongly or somewhat support restrictions on their behaviour and purchases in order to reduce the threat.
Climate change has been rising up the political agenda in Europe. The recent British government report by Sir Nicholas Stern, former chief economist of the World Bank, argued that the economic costs of global warming could be far greater than the costs of acting to limit it.
The poll also found Europeans were more willing to accept curbs on their lifestyles in principle than to endorse specific additional burdens.
Less than half - 43 per cent - either strongly or somewhat supported a charge on airline passengers to pay for environmental damage, while 36 per cent opposed it, either strongly or somewhat. Support was weakest in Italy and Spain, possibly because of fears about the effect on their tourist industries.
When José Manuel Barroso became president of the European Commission in 2004, environmental groups feared the worst. When he named Stavros Dimas, a former Wall St lawyer, as the EU's environment commissioner, they shuddered: the Greek, who has since won over many of his early critics, came from the only country in Europe without an environment minister. Yet in the last few weeks, Mr Barroso has undergone a remarkable conversion and emerged as a champion of the environmental cause. His aides deny he has suddenly "gone green", but as recently as May 2006 climate change was barely mentioned by the former Portuguese prime minister as he set out his vision for the "future of Europe". But last week he put climate change at the top of his list of priorities: a "serious and urgent issue" requiring tough action. Colleagues say the new approach is already being felt in policy areas. His position matters because Mr Barroso exerts a tight grip on an organisation with the power to set environmental standards and targets. What is decided in Brussels often has a direct impact on companies far beyond Europe.
When he named Stavros Dimas, a former Wall St lawyer, as the EU's environment commissioner, they shuddered: the Greek, who has since won over many of his early critics, came from the only country in Europe without an environment minister.
Yet in the last few weeks, Mr Barroso has undergone a remarkable conversion and emerged as a champion of the environmental cause.
His aides deny he has suddenly "gone green", but as recently as May 2006 climate change was barely mentioned by the former Portuguese prime minister as he set out his vision for the "future of Europe".
But last week he put climate change at the top of his list of priorities: a "serious and urgent issue" requiring tough action. Colleagues say the new approach is already being felt in policy areas.
His position matters because Mr Barroso exerts a tight grip on an organisation with the power to set environmental standards and targets. What is decided in Brussels often has a direct impact on companies far beyond Europe.
Indeed Dimas was also finance minister before becoming Commissioner. I don't know how many is that "many" whom he supposedly won over, but in my impression, he didn't do much good. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
A sceptical interpretation coud be that Barroso exposed himself as the poodle of a poodle: this all sounds like echoing Bliar's (highly hypocritical and empty) rhetoric in the last few weeks. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
