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Finnish Energy Attitudes 2007, Research Report 2 July 2008
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Finnish Energy Attitudes 2007, Research Report 2 July 2008
Results of a follow-up study concerning Finnish attitudes towards energy
issues 1983-2007
Energiateollisuus ry - Finnish Energy Industries
Report and Web pages authored by Pentti Kiljunen / PGraphics
2008
Yhdyskuntatutkimus Oy
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FINNISH ENERGY ATTITUDES 2007
Research report 2 July 2008
BACKGROUND INFORMATION OF THE STUDY
Basic attitudes towards forms of energy were measured by asking
citizens to which direction our country’s electricity generation should be
developed with regard to various energy alternatives. The eight most important
energy sources currently used in electricity generation and import of
electricity from abroad were assessed. Each of these had to be weighted
separately on a seven-tier scale ('increase considerably' – 'phase out
completely'). This question has been repeated in a basically comparable form
annually since the autumn of 1983. The survey is the twenty-fifth, which means
that the opinions of Finns have been systematically monitored for a quarter of a
century.
The study presented is part of the follow-up study of 'Finnish attitudes
towards energy issues' concerning 2007. This study series has followed up
attitudes towards energy policy issues for as many as 25 years (1983-2007). The
extensive and comparable materials of this project enable detailed empirical
analysis and systematic follow-up of citizens' opinions.
The latest research results are based on the replies of 1,278 people. Of
these, 979 represent the entire Finnish population, and the rest (299 people)
represent the population of the specific municipalities of this study (Loviisa
and Eurajoki). In the time series concerning the entire follow-up period, the
total numer of respondents is 33,114.
The material was collected as a written questionnaire between 6 November 2006
and 8 January 2008. It represents the population between the ages of 18 and 70
in respect of key demographic, social economic and regional factors. The study
was implemented in two languages, i.e. the respondents received the
questionnaire in either Finnish or Swedish according to their own mother tongue.
The confidence interval of the results (depending on the form of the studied
distribution) is 2-3 percentage units in each direction. In the results by
municipalities the margin is 5-8 percentage units.
The study was carried out by Yhdyskuntatutkimus Oy and ÅF-Consult Ltd
assigned by Fortum Corporation (Fortum) and Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO)
together. The responsible researcher and compiler of the report was Pentti
Kiljunen. The Finnish Energy Industries publishes the study results.
The study series was launched in 1983 at the University of Tampere, financed
by Imatran Voima Oy. The results of this study have been published in eleven
university reports (report series of the Department of Local Government Studies,
University of Tampere) and since then in several other publications and reports
(e.g. reports published by Yhdyskuntatutkimus Oy, Finergy and Fortum). Nine
latest studies are published on the web in Finnish and English. The results of
the follow-up study have also been presented in articles and summary texts on
the development of the Finnish opinion climate (e.g. Suhonen, Pertti: Yleinen
mielipide [Public opinion]. Helsinki 1997).
As in earlier years, the research material from autumn 2007 will be handed
over to the Finnish Social Science Data Archives (FSD, a unit of the University
of Tampere). The material can be obtained from the data archives for scientific
research and teaching purposes. The results of this survey belong to most
sought-after materials within the Archives, and are being utilized in various
academic research projects and theses.
Contents
1. Attitudes towards various forms of energy
1.1.
Present situation
1.2. Changes in attitudes
2.
Attitudes towards nuclear power
2.1. Further construction
of nuclear power plants
2.2. Differences in attitudes
between population groups
2.3. Nuclear waste
2.4. Other assessments concerning nuclear power
3.
Energy, the environment and growth
3.1. Climate change
3.2. Other attitudes regarding the environment and growth
4. Energy conservation
5. Alternative energy sources
6.
Decision-making and control of energy policy
7. Concerns of Finnish people
7.1. Energy-related vs. other concerns
7.2. Differences in concerns between population groups
8. Attitudes towards the electricity market
8.1.
Government vs. market-oriented steering
8.2. Advantages
and disadvantages of the electricity market
8.3.
Assessments of factors influencing the price of electricity
Further information - questions - comments?
Further information
about the study can be obtained from:
Pekka Tiusanen, Manager, Communications
Energiateollisuus
ry
Finnish Energy Industries
pekka.tiusanen ( at ) energia.fi, tel. +358
9 5302 2107, +358 50 552 1347
Pentti Kiljunen, Research Director
Yhdyskuntatutkimus
Oy
pentti.kiljunen ( at ) sci.fi, tel. (03) 3677 112, 040-545 8011
Pekka Järvinen, Senior Adviser
ÅF-Consult
Ltd
pekka.jarvinen ( at ) afconsult.com, tel. + 358 40 348 5284