A survey commissioned by WWF among 350 European executives reveals broad support for the green transition, though only 29% view positively the effects of the EU’s recent regulatory simplification.
WWF and GlobeScan have conducted a survey of 350 EU business leaders to gauge their stance on the green transition across the continent. The results show that more than half of respondents believe the newly approved measures could have a negative impact on their production, and only 29% think that European initiatives have had a positive effect on their companies.
Green transition as an advantage
Ninety-one percent of European Union business leaders believe that moving toward a low-carbon and environmentally sustainable economy strengthens the bloc’s long-term competitiveness, according to a survey commissioned by the environmental organization WWF and released on Thursday.
The online survey, carried out by GlobeScan between June and July, gathered responses from 350 executives based in Europe, spanning a range of sizes and sectors, with 55% working in small or medium-sized enterprises and 44% in large corporations.
Only 29% of respondents consider that the EU’s recent initiatives to simplify environmental and sustainability legislation have had positive effects on their businesses.
More than half, 55%, view these measures as having a negative or mixed impact, and among them, 57% identify greater uncertainty about the future direction of European policies as the main consequence.
Respondents also point to investments made to prepare for complying with rules that may later be altered and to a weakening of business incentives to pursue sustainability.
The study is published amid a broad European debate on simplifying European regulations and reducing administrative burdens for companies, one of the European Commission’s priorities to boost competitiveness against the United States and China.
When asked what Brussels should prioritise to improve competitiveness, 43% of the surveyed executives cite predictable and coherent policies and legislation, ahead of public investment and incentives (31%) and affordable access to clean energy (29%).
“Business leaders are not asking European policymakers to choose between sustainability and competitiveness,” said Ester Asin, director of WWF’s European Office, who called for “ambitious and stable” rules that give companies the confidence to invest and innovate.
WWF argues that the results challenge the notion that lowering environmental standards is necessary to improve Europe’s competitive position.
