A sceptical argument on energy conservation, stating that energy problems cannot be solved by saving energy, strongly divides the respondents. Somewhat more people reject this claim (47%) than accept it (41%), however. Measured this way, the belief in energy saving has not increased but remained at the level to which it increased in the previous survey.

In the longer term, the same trends as in the development of growth expectations can be detected in attitudes towards energy conservation. Positive attitudes towards energy conservation gradually increased for several years in the early 1990s (saving is one virtue that is particularly characteristic of a period of economic recession), until the trend broke in 1994 and attitudes were immediately restored close to the level of the 1980's. The attitudes remained appreciably stable for more than ten subsequent years. The results obtained in the latest two surveys suggest that the period of stability has ended. The belief in the opportunities of energy conservation - or the necessity of conserving energy, since this may also be an issue - has started to increase again. The phenomenon is in harmony with the previous logic of the economic situation [Figure 21.].

Although energy conservation is not seen as the one and only solution to energy problems, many believe it to be a partial solution. The statement that more efficient energy conservation measures should be taken instead of building new power plants is backed up by almost two respondents out of three (65%, 18% disagree). Even though the distribution is only a little less critical than in the previous year, it is the most favourable in the 21st century. Thus, each of the statements pertaining to energy conservation gives a similar signal. It is not a question of any major emphasis on energy conservation, however. The statement received the most extensive support at the beginning of the 1990s (peak value of 74% in 1992). Despite the increasing and decreasing stages of the attitude trend, the support for conservation in principle has remained strong at all stages [Figure 22.].

When studying the energy conservation attitudes more closely, one can see some clear dependencies. Women's attitudes towards energy conservation are visibly more positive than those of men, according to both indicators. When studied by age group, one can see that the younger the respondent, the more in favour of energy conservation he/she is.

The current study also included a new question that partly dealt with saving. The statement 'Import of electricity and the old, decommissioned power plants could already be replaced with renewable energy sources and energy saving without implementing new (large-scale) power plants' receives a quite cautious attitude. Two out of five (41%) consider this thesis to be true and a little over a quarter (28%) false. Even though the distribution is oblique towards acceptance, it can even be considered as reserved when considering how positive and optimistic basic attitude people usually have on renewable energy as well as on saving. In the political field, the supporters of the Greens and the National Coalition Party show almost opposite attitudes (no figure).