4.1. Attitudes towards the conservation of energy

A sceptical argument on energy conservation, stating that energy problems cannot be solved by saving energy, strongly divides respondents. Somewhat more people reject this claim (46%) than accept it (43%). Comparison with the previous survey shows that the belief in the opportunities of energy conservation measured this way has increased rather than decreased. However, the most recent result is close to the level of the two previous surveys that were somewhat high [Figure 29.].

Over 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 - conservation is one virtue that is particularly characteristic of a period of economic recession - until the trend broke in 1994 and attitudes were immediately restored closer to the level of the 1980s. Attitudes remained appreciably stable for more than ten subsequent years. The results in the two previous surveys suggested that the period of stability had ended and that the belief in the opportunities for energy conservation - or the necessity of conserving energy, since this may also be an issue - had started to increase again. The current result is not quite in harmony with the previous logic of the economic situation according to which the belief in energy conservation should have increased as the recession continued.

Although energy conservation is not seen as the one and only solution to energy problems, many believe it to be a partial solution. The demand for more efficient energy conservation instead of building new power plants is backed by more than one in two (58%, and 27% disagree). The distribution is clearly more doubting than in the previous survey. The difference is significant even though the point of comparison, the result in 2008, was by a narrow margin the most favourable in the new millennium. For this indicator, the development of attitudes almost significantly deviates from the lessons of the previous logic of the economic situation. As we can see from the time series throughout the whole study period, the statement received the most extensive support during the recession at the beginning of the 1990s (peak value 74% in 1992) [Figure 30.].

Explanations for the differences in the trends can be sought from the factors indirectly affecting energy conservation attitudes. Now that the opinions on constructing new (nuclear) power capacity are more positive, energy conservation is no longer offered as a choice as vigorously as in the 1990s. When studying energy conservation attitudes more closely, some clear dependencies can be observed. Women's attitudes towards energy conservation are more positive than those of men, according to both indicators. When studied by age group, it can be seen that the younger the respondent, the more in favour of energy conservation he/she is.

The conditions for succeeding in energy conservation include not only the political decisions that support - or force - conservation, but also citizens' personal preparedness to take conservation measures. However, positive attitudes towards energy conservation have not matched actual energy conservation behaviour so far. A statement connected with this, 'It is not possible to achieve efficient energy conservation because, in reality, people are not willing to sacrifice and go short of their creature comforts', is approved by almost two thirds (63%). The matter is rejected by about one in four people (26%) [Figure 31.].