Energy Conservation and Public Opinion in Finland

Panel: Panel 4: Human Dimensions

Author:
Antti Ruuskanen, Imatran Voima Oy

Abstract

In Finland, energy conservation has become more and more popular in the energy debate. Almost everyone seems to support conservation, a unique concordance in the Finnish energy argumentation. However, there appears to be a gap between the positive attitude and the action taken. This phenomenon has been investigated in a long series of annual energy attitude surveys dating back to 1983. In autumn 1993, energy conservation attitudes were surveyed in detail.

With minor emphasis, the topic was included in the autumn 1994 survey, too, The results reveal a positive trend toward energy conservation. However, this trend like all energy attitudes reflects the circumstances in society. Reviving from the recession can even be seen here - conservation, a virtue of bad times, is slightly loosing its popularity. Moreover, this general pro-attitude seems to be both idealistic and sceptical. For example, the number of people seriously conserving energy seems to be small.

In spite of the opinions that more stringent conservation measures would not jeopardise the standard of living, people believe that energy conservation is no substitute for the construction of new power plants.

The motives of conservation seem mainly to relate to future generations, pollution and natural resources. It is seen how the conservationist attitudes relate to other societal values or dispositions. The support of alternative energy sources correlate highly with the positive attitudes toward conservation.

However, the obstacles to conservation seem to be many. The most important factor is related to one? indolence and incapability to change one? habits. Many believe that lavish users of energy are remote, not living in their own vicinity. The operationalization of pro-conservationist attitudes is, however, difficult, mainly due to contravening dispositions of the very same people.