More than one in ten EU citizens are considering leaving their region within the next five years — whether by choice or necessity — according to the latest Eurobarometer survey.
Specifically, 7% say they would choose to move, while 4% feel they would have no other option. The key motivations behind this trend include:
- Lack of quality jobs and limited economic opportunities (29%)
- Distrust in the political environment (23%)
- Lack of affordable, quality housing (22%)
Which countries report the strongest desire to leave?
The highest percentages of citizens planning to move were recorded in:
- Portugal & Hungary: 16%
- France: 15%
- Greece & Poland: 12%
At the other end of the scale, respondents who strongly rejected the idea of moving soon were mainly found in:
- The Netherlands: 94%
- Croatia: 90%
Dissatisfaction levels rising across Europe
Among those who want or feel forced to leave, dissatisfaction is particularly high in:
- Slovakia: 50%
- Malta: 45%
- Luxembourg: 38%
- Croatia & Hungary: 36%
In Spain, the housing crisis is a major concern, with many seeking more affordable places to live.
Climate crisis and the forgotten wetlands
While people feel pressure to move due to socioeconomic challenges, environmental degradation adds another layer of urgency — particularly the loss of wetlands and peatlands.
Speaking to Euronews, Yurena Lorenzo, a specialist at the European Environment Agency (EEA) in Copenhagen, explained:
“Over the last millennium, we have lost 80% of Europe’s wetlands. And 50% of the remaining peatlands have been degraded through drainage.”
Why is drainage a problem?
“When you drain peatlands, they release huge amounts of carbon. Europe is the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases from drained peatlands, after Indonesia.”
New EU Nature Restoration Law sets binding targets
The recently adopted EU Nature Restoration Regulation aims to reverse this decline with:
- Mandatory national restoration plans by 2027
- Implementation of urgent measures by 2032
- Legally binding, measurable goals
“For me, wetlands are nature’s superheroes,” says Lorenzo. “They host 40% of the world’s plant and animal biodiversity.”
As more Europeans contemplate leaving home due to economic and political instability, the battle to restore nature becomes just as vital — for the future of the planet and its people.
Source: pagenews.gr