German citizens see climate change as the greatest social challenge

• Global warming is considered to be the greatest social challenge for one in three German citizens

• Germans are willing to change their behavior and pay more for sustainably manufactured products

• E.ON: CO₂ pricing would be provide a tangible incentive for industry to reduce CO₂ emissions

According to a recent survey conducted by research institute puls on behalf of E.ON, one in three Germans (32.9 percent) believe that climate change is the greatest social challenge at present. German citizens are even more concerned about the climate than about pollution (23.6 percent), poverty (26.3 percent) or war, which currently only worries 17.2 percent of the population.

Moreover, 77 percent of German citizens are prepared to change their own behavior in areas such as transportation, food, living environment or shopping, or have already done so. Almost a third (33.5 percent) of people in Germany are prepared to pay up to 10 percent more for climate-friendly products, while another third (39.3 percent) would pay up to 5 percent more for sustainable products.

“Our survey shows that the German population is prepared to contribute to reducing climate-damaging greenhouse gases. E.ON has been advocating increased CO₂ pricing for some time in order to provide a renewed incentive to promote and implement climate-friendly forms of energy. In addition, our energy solutions support companies, cities and end customers in sustainably reducing their CO₂ emissions,” states Johannes Teyssen, CEO of E.ON SE.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by E.ON Group Management and other information currently available to E.ON. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. E.ON SE does not intend, and does not assume any liability whatsoever, to update these forward-looking statements or to align them to future events or developments.