Shifting attitudes towards energy efficiency in Europe?

Dominic Stead, Delft University of Technology

Keywords

attitudes, energy efficiency, Europe, temporal trends, socio-economic factors, Eurobarometer surveys

Abstract

Special Eurobarometer surveys are carried out regularly in all European member states on behalf of the European Commission. These surveys concern a range of subjects (recent topics include the environment, health, biotechnology, discrimination, the Common Agricultural Policy and European integration). Each survey consists of approximately 1 000 face-to-face interviews per country, with the exception of Germany (2 000 interviews), Luxembourg (600 interviews) and the United Kingdom (1300 interviews, including 300 in Northern Ireland). From time to time, the Special Eurobarometer surveys focus on energy related issues. This paper draws on three such Special Eurobarometer surveys from 1984, 1993 and 2002 in order to examine temporal trends in individual actions and intentions concerning energy efficiency across Europe. The main focus of the paper is on broad energy efficiency measures (such as home insulation, heating reduction, home-appliance use reduction and car use reduction) and the differences in stated actions and intentions over time and between countries. It examines whether actions and intentions differ according to age, gender and education, and whether these differences are stable over time (between 1984, 1993 and 2002). Data from the 2002 Eurobarometer survey are also used to explore the level of public support for different types of energy efficiency instruments such as taxes, regulations, information campaigns and financial incentives.