Fewer Finns willing to pay for climate protection

Tougher economy apparently reduces motivation to act green

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A majority of Finns continue to see climate change as a fairly large threat at the very least. Nevertheless, the percentage of people seeing the problem as “very big” has declined since 2008, according to a poll commissioned by Helsingin Sanomat and conducted by Suomen Gallup.
      Willingness to take personal action to fight climate change has declined from as recently as last spring. The most significant fall has been in readiness for measures that would clearly cost money.
      As recently as April this year 69 per cent said that they would be willing to pay more for low-emission energy. Now the figure is just 55 per cent. Only a third would willingly pay a so-called climate tax for products and services. Fewer than one in five would be willing to pay significantly higher prices for energy for environmental reasons.
     
There is still considerable willingness to engage in simple acts to improve the environment. Nearly everyone at least claims to be willing to recycle and to sort household waste. more than three out of four would be ready to cut back on consumption and to buy appliances which consume less energy to replace old ones that still work.
      Especially those with a high education level and high incomes are more positively-inlcined than average towards taking action on their own to benefit the environment.
      A clear majority, 67 per cent, believe that actions taken by individual people have a role in slowing climate change.
      Nearly half might approve of the idea that society would restrict individual consumption in the name of climate protection. Nearly as many oppose the idea of such restrictions.
     
Experts see the recession as the first reason for the decline in a readiness to make sacrifices.
      The government’s climate policy advisor Oras Tynkkynen (Green) also emphasises the role of the media. The climate theme has receded into the background, and the new main topics in the news are the recession, unemployment, and election funding.
      He says that it would be surprising if this were not reflected in the results of the poll.
      Tynkkynen notes that 2007 was a “crazy year” in climate coverage in the media.
     
He also knows that people formulate their opinions on climate change on the basis of the weather.
      When the winter of 2007-2008 was exceptionally mild, people took the warnings of climate change seriously.
      “People felt that the change could now be seen, even though such conclusions cannot be drawn.”
      Aleksi Neuvonen, head of research at the Demos think-tank adds yet another perspective: people have already made personal choices to help the environment, and are moving to the next level
     
The poll shows that Finns have done one thing and another to reduce impact on the atmosphere.
      Nearly eight out of ten say that they have recycled and sorted their own waste.
      Three out of five say that they have cut back on consumption.
      Nearly as many have used public transport whenever possible.
      Juhani Pekonen of Suomen Gallup feels that the figures show continued high interest in the climate change issue, considering that not all can do everything for climate change. For instance, someone who does not have a car cannot exactly reduce his or her driving.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finnish greenhouse emissions within Kyoto protocol framework (5.10.2009)
  Finnish cities stick to climate policy goals despite recession (2.3.2009)
  Poll: Willingness of Finns to take action to curb climate change is declining (20.4.2009)
  Vanhanen: Climate technology can help in downturn (17.10.2008)
  Poll: Most Finns willing to bear costs of fighting climate change (22.2.2008)

Helsingin Sanomat