Finnish people strongly favour climate change mitigation activities and ambitious energy and climate policies, according to a new survey commissioned by the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE).
The results of the survey to study citizen perceptions on energy and climate policies showed the respondents also felt that these policies need to ensure national security, keep private costs at an affordable level and protect the environment, said the SYKE in a press release on Tuesday.
“Nearly 80 per cent of respondents see greenhouse gas emission mitigation as an important goal, and over half views that Finland should stick to its climate neutrality goal of 2035. Furthermore, over 60 per cent feel that politicians must do more to combat climate change,” said research professor Enni Ruokamo of SYKE.
More than 80 per cent of respondents agreed that energy and climate policies must under no circumstances weaken national security.
“Respondents nearly uniformly agree on the decision to disconnect from Russian energy: 85 per cent of respondents view that Finland must stay detached of Russian energy under all circumstances. Geopolitical uncertainty influences citizens’ energy and climate policy views, and they value self-sufficiency in the new security reality,” researcher of SYKE Jouni Räihä said.
Up to 86 per cent of respondents felt that costs of energy and climate policies should not become an unreasonable burden for individual private households.
Caring for the environment is also a focal finding of the survey where about 70 per cent of respondents agreed that the energy and climate policies should especially prioritise nature.
The majority respondents supported bans and curtailments on emission-creating activities, but these measures also face some opposition.
Carbon taxes and carbon trading are yet somewhat more divisive. The least-favoured policies, however, are the voluntary actions of companies and individuals.
“The Finnish citizens give a clear message. Climate and energy policies need to be ambitious and active; simultaneously, they must ensure national security, to remain affordable relative to household incomes and focus on caring for nature,” said Ruokamo.
Research organisation Taloustutkimus conducted the survey where 2 135 people representing the views of the Finnish-speaking adult population living in Finland took part.
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Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
