Perceptions and attitudes of European citizens facing the just energy transition

What is it about?

The idea of making changes in how we use energy has become really important in both politics and research. It started from a more focused group of people but has grown in popularity, mainly because of the Sustainable Development Goals. As it has become more popular, it has gained different meanings and ways of thinking about it. There are four main ways people think about it: keeping things the same, managing it better, changing the whole system, or making a big transformation. These ways of thinking about it are based on two things: whether you think individuals or groups are more important, and whether you want to focus on environmentally friendly growth or degrowth. Even though these ideas have been useful for understanding different groups of people in organisations and movements, this study is wondering if they still make sense when we look at what individual people think. To figure this out, this research used data from a survey in Europe from 2020 to 2022 and some computer analysis techniques. The way people think about energy transitions in practice does not exactly match the theoretical ideas. The question of whether individuals or groups are more important still matters, but it is harder to say where the environmental focus is. In reality, there are twenty-three different clusters, and three of these clusters make up most of the people. The rest are smaller groups, but they are still important when we are thinking about energy changes. Human values explain perceptions and attitudes better than age, gender, or political beliefs.

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Photo by Ryoji Iwata on Unsplash

Photo by Ryoji Iwata on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The importance of understanding different approaches to energy transition lies in its political and research significance, evolution from a niche interest to a global concern, and its alignment with Sustainable Development Goals. Four main ways of thinking about it, rooted in individual vs. group importance and environmentally friendly growth vs. degrowth, offer diverse strategies. Empirical research using survey data reveals a complex landscape of 23 perception clusters, with human values being more influential than age, gender, or political beliefs. This insight is crucial for developing effective policies and strategies to navigate the complex challenges of sustainable energy use.