As Heatwaves Rise, Swiss Climate Concerns Fall

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) As Europe grapples with heatwaves, drought and devastating wildfires, many Swiss consumers appear largely unmoved. A new survey found that four in five adults say the climate crisis has little or no influence on their spending and investment decisions, a share that has steadily increased over the past seven years. Select your language

Generated with artificial intelligence. Listening: As heatwaves rise, Swiss climate concerns fall This content was published on August 11, 2026 - 17:07 5 minutes

I am a climate and science/technology reporter. I am interested in the effects of climate change on everyday life and scientific solutions. Born in London, I am a dual citizen of Switzerland and the UK. After studying modern languages and translation, I trained as a journalist and joined swissinfo in 2006. My working languages are English, German, French and Spanish.

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The study, published on Tuesday by the online consumer platform Comparis, foundExternal link that 34% of Swiss consumers are“not at all” influenced by climate change, while 46% are only“slightly” influenced.

Just one in five said the issue plays a meaningful role in purchasing or investment decisions.

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“Many Swiss people say they would be prepared to cut back on air travel or meat consumption, but the facts tell a different story,” said Michael Kuhn, a finance expert at Comparis.

The trend is visible across all income groups but is most pronounced among higher earners. Among households with a gross monthly income above CHF8,000 ($9,860), 84% said the climate crisis has little or no influence on their decisions, compared with 75% of households earning up to CHF4,000 a month.

Parents, however, appear more receptive to climate concerns. Some 74% of respondents with children said the climate debate influences their decisions to some extent, compared with 62% of those without children.

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Since 2019, Comparis has regularly surveyed households on the importance of climate issues.

The results point to a clear trend. Between late 2020 and mid-2023, between 66% and 70% of respondents said climate concerns had little or no influence on their consumer choices. By 2026, that figure had climbed to 80%.

Meanwhile, the percentage of people who claim to be unaffected by the crisis has risen from about 20% to 34%.

Kuhn reckons the trend is due to a mix of competing concerns, including rising health insurance premiums, higher rents, wars and inflation, combined with fatigue from years of climate debate and a growing sense of powerlessness.

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