A YouGov poll across six EU countries found that 72% of citizens believe the biggest polluters should pay more for their emissions. The survey challenges industry calls to weaken the EU Emissions Trading System ahead of its July 2026 review. Support for making heavy industries pay for CO2 emissions cuts across the political spectrum, including voters of parties that have pushed for weaker climate policy. The poll also shows that 62% of respondents want free allowances to come with conditions requiring companies to invest in reducing future emissions. 63% say support should be tied to worker reskilling and quality conditions. The article argues that weakening the ETS would reward laggards and punish companies already investing in clean production, while ignoring the public mandate for a fairer system.
