New EU Survey: Europeans Are Taking Action to Save Energy & Embrace Clean Energy

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Eurobarometer survey exhibits Europeans are taking motion to avoid wasting vitality and embrace clear vitality, however need extra assist to make the transition and preserve their payments beneath management

A large-ranging survey revealed right this moment exhibits that European residents assist the vitality coverage pursued by the EU within the final 5 years. Trying forward, they specific their sturdy backing for extra EU-wide coordination, and much more efforts at EU and nationwide degree to make vitality costs extra reasonably priced, as we pursue the clear vitality transition and guarantee our vitality independence. A big majority of respondents (77%) say the European Union ought to have a stronger coordination position on vitality issues, relying on completely different circumstances.

79% of individuals surveyed agree that our local weather targets will spur new jobs and entice investments within the clear vitality sector. 76% consider our insurance policies will cut back dependence on vitality importsand 69% assume they are going to guarantee lowered vitality payments for households and companies. To make sure that these targets are met, 62% stated that Europe ought to diversify its vitality sourcestogether with by investing in renewables, and 54% stated that we must always save vitality wherever attainable.

When requested what EU vitality coverage means to them, residents’ responses put a powerful concentrate on vitality affordability: 40% of respondents first stated that EU vitality coverage ought to guarantee extra reasonably priced vitality costs for customers, whereas 33% stated the EU must be investing in modern vitality applied sciences, and 30% stated it ought to concentrate on reducing vitality consumption. When requested to call EU insurance policies of the previous 5 years which have offered added worth for Member States, 35% highlighted the assist for renewable vitality investments, and 27% stated that the EU has added worth by investing in modern vitality applied sciences. In the meantime, 25% stated that Europe has helped to make sure that vitality costs are as reasonably priced as attainableand others stated it has facilitated client selections of vitality provides (24%) or vitality environment friendly merchandise (18%). When requested particularly concerning the EU vitality labelthree quarters of respondents (75%) say that it influenced their alternative when buying an equipment within the final 5 years.

Residents are voicing a excessive degree of concern on vitality affordability, whereas embracing the necessity for a clear vitality transition. They acknowledge that the EU mitigated the worst results of excessive vitality costs throughout the current vitality disaster, together with by lowering worth volatility and shielding weak customers from worth hikes, however they need us to take care of our concentrate on affordability within the years forward. Residents are additionally satisfied by the local weather neutrality goal and the advantages which can be deriving from it. The trail is lengthy, however the goal is obvious: the EU’s dependence on fossil gasoline imports have to be changed with home-grown renewable energies, for the advantage of residents and companies, and of the setting. —Kadri Simson, Commissioner for Power

Customers are embracing the vitality transition, however need extra assist

Greater than three quarters of respondents (77%) say that they took private actions, significantly altering their habits to eat much less vitality at dwelling over the past 5 years. 55% of the respondents stated that they had tailored their technique of transportation to cut back their vitality consumption and 4 in ten (41%) declared that they had altered their vitality consumption patterns at work.

The concrete replies on measures taken by residents present the Renovation Wave launched by the Fee is taking maintain throughout Europe. Among the many 44% of respondents who took measures to cut back vitality consumption at dwellingalmost half reported having insulated their roof, partitions, home windows, or ground. A couple of in 5 respondents point out altering the boiler (27%) or putting in photo voltaic panels (22%). In the meantime, nearly 4 in ten say measures weren’t taken due to monetary causes (37%) or that the choice is with their home-owner or with the constructing co-owners (36%).

Trying to the longer term, when requested to select from an inventory of coverage choices to achieve local weather neutrality, a majority of respondents say the EU ought to encourage Member States to concentrate on measures that assist households in vitality poverty (53%), to cut back vitality consumption (50%) or measures that assist residents to provide or eat vitality from renewable sources (50%). 38% of respondents stated that the EU ought to encourage Member States to concentrate on measures for industries and companies; when requested what particular insurance policies would serve this objective, 35% stated that the EU ought to do that by supporting innovation in clear applied sciences, whereas 30% consider it ought to incentivise vitality financial savings.

Background

In simply a few years, the EU has re-designed nearly each a part of its vitality laws, in keeping with the European Green Dealand in response to Russia’s unlawful aggression towards Ukraine, and its weaponisation of its vitality assets. Targets for renewables and vitality effectivity have been raised, constructing renovation has been boosted, and the functioning of electrical energy and gasoline markets has been reformed.

With new funding devices at EU degree, spectacular progress has been made to assist residents and the financial system on a pathway to decarbonisation, with the target of EU local weather neutrality by 2050.

Document-high vitality prices incurred by households and companies, triggered by greater demand following the Covid-19 pandemic, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, turned a pressure on nationwide budgets and drove inflation prior to now years. Whereas the height of the disaster is basically behind us and vitality is not a predominant inflationary issue, vitality costs stay excessive.

The findings of right this moment’s survey are effectively mirrored within the ambition of the brand new Fee for 2024–2029, as set out in President von der Leyen’s Political Guidelinesand within the Mission Letters she has addressed to the Commissioners-Designate.

For extra data:

Special 2024 Eurobarometer on ‘Europeans’ attitudes towards energy policy’

Member State factsheets

Information from European CommissionEuropean Union.