Policy Feedback in Climate Governance: Evidence from a Cross-Country Analysis on Environmental Expenditure and Public Perceptions in the EU

By Anlin ZHOU, Celine IP, Kanchan KARGWAL, Marissa RUIZ, Thomas YUE

Anlin Zhou, Celine Ip, Kanchan Kargwal, Marissa Ruiz and Thomas Yue — a team of students from the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto — participated in the first EIB Climate Survey Hackathon, where they explored how public perceptions of climate risk respond to national environmental spending. Their project, Policy Feedback in Climate Governance: Evidence from a Cross-Country Analysis on Environmental Expenditure and Public Perceptions in the EU, investigates whether increased government investment signals urgency or reassurance to citizens. Using data from the EIB Climate Survey and Eurostat, the team finds that higher environmental spending generally heightens public concern, indicating that visible climate investment can be an effective driver of awareness and behavioural change.