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

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Eurobarometer survey shows Europeans are taking action to save energy and embrace clean energy, but want more support to make the transition and keep their bills under control

A wide-ranging survey published today shows that European citizens support the energy policy pursued by the EU in the last five years. Looking ahead, they express their strong backing for more EU-wide coordination, and even more efforts at EU and national level to make energy prices more affordable, as we pursue the clean energy transition and ensure our energy independence. A large majority of respondents (77%) say the European Union should have a stronger coordination role on energy matters, depending on different circumstances.

79% of people surveyed agree that our climate targets will spur new jobs and attract investments in the clean energy sector. 76% believe our policies will reduce dependence on energy imports, and 69% think they will ensure reduced energy bills for households and businesses. To ensure that these targets are met, 62% said that Europe should diversify its energy sources, including by investing in renewables, and 54% said that we should save energy wherever possible.

When asked what EU energy policy means to them, citizens’ responses put a strong focus on energy affordability: 40% of respondents first said that EU energy policy should ensure more affordable energy prices for consumers, while 33% said the EU should be investing in innovative energy technologies, and 30% said it should focus on decreasing energy consumption. When asked to name EU policies of the past five years that have provided added value for Member States, 35% highlighted the support for renewable energy investments, and 27% said that the EU has added value by investing in innovative energy technologies. Meanwhile, 25% said that Europe has helped to ensure that energy prices are as affordable as possible, and others said it has facilitated consumer choices of energy supplies (24%) or energy efficient products (18%). When asked specifically about the EU energy label, three quarters of respondents (75%) say that it influenced their choice when purchasing an appliance in the last five years.

Citizens are voicing a high level of concern on energy affordability, while embracing the need for a clean energy transition. They acknowledge that the EU mitigated the worst effects of high energy prices during the recent energy crisis, including by reducing price volatility and shielding vulnerable consumers from price hikes, but they want us to maintain our focus on affordability in the years ahead. Citizens are also convinced by the climate neutrality target and the benefits that are deriving from it. The path is long, but the objective is clear: the EU’s dependence on fossil fuel imports must be replaced with home-grown renewable energies, for the benefit of citizens and businesses, and of the environment. —Kadri Simson, Commissioner for Energy

Consumers are embracing the energy transition, but want more support

More than three quarters of respondents (77%) say that they took personal actions, considerably changing their habits to consume less energy at home over the last five years. 55% of the respondents said they had adapted their means of transportation to reduce their energy consumption and four in ten (41%) declared they had altered their energy consumption patterns at work.

The concrete replies on measures taken by citizens show the Renovation Wave launched by the Commission is taking hold across Europe. Among the 44% of respondents who took measures to reduce energy consumption at home, nearly half reported having insulated their roof, walls, windows, or floor. More than one in five respondents mention changing the boiler (27%) or installing solar panels (22%). Meanwhile, almost four in ten say measures were not taken because of financial reasons (37%) or that the decision is with their home-owner or with the building co-owners (36%).

Looking to the future, when asked to choose from a list of policy options to reach climate neutrality, a majority of respondents say the EU should encourage Member States to focus on measures that support households in energy poverty (53%), to reduce energy consumption (50%) or measures that help citizens to produce or consume energy from renewable sources (50%). 38% of respondents said that the EU should encourage Member States to focus on measures for industries and businesses; when asked what specific policies would serve this goal, 35% said that the EU should do this by supporting innovation in clean technologies, while 30% believe it should incentivise energy savings.

Background

In just a couple of years, the EU has re-designed almost every part of its energy legislation, in line with the European Green Deal, and in response to Russia’s illegal aggression against Ukraine, and its weaponisation of its energy resources. Targets for renewables and energy efficiency have been raised, building renovation has been boosted, and the functioning of electricity and gas markets has been reformed.

With new funding instruments at EU level, impressive progress has been made to support citizens and the economy on a pathway to decarbonisation, with the objective of EU climate neutrality by 2050.

Record-high energy costs incurred by households and businesses, triggered by higher demand following the Covid-19 pandemic, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, became a strain on national budgets and drove inflation in the past years. While the peak of the crisis is largely behind us and energy is no longer a predominant inflationary factor, energy prices remain high.

The findings of today’s survey are well reflected in the ambition of the new Commission for 2024–2029, as set out in President von der Leyen’s Political Guidelines, and in the Mission Letters she has addressed to the Commissioners-Designate.

For more information:

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

Member State factsheets

News from European Commission, European Union.