More than two-thirds of the Spanish population wants big industry to pay for their CO2 emissions

Spain is among the European countries with the greatest support for the “polluter pays” principle, with support that crosses the entire political spectrum and in a context of debate on the future of the European carbon market.

Two out of three people in Spain (68%) believe that energy-intensive industries (such as steel, cement or chemicals) should pay for their CO₂ emissions, compared to only 17% who oppose it. It’s one of the highest levels of support in a new survey, commissioned by Beyond Fossil Fuels on behalf of a broad community of organisations and conducted by YouGov in six European countries, which puts the European average at 59%. The survey, conducted in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain, reveals broad and cross-cutting support for the “polluter pays” principle, which is at the heart of the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS). The results come at a key moment: the European Commission plans to present its proposal for the revision of the ETS on July 15, while industrial giants such as Arcelormittal, ThyssenKrupp, Voestalpine and BASF push to weaken the mechanism.

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