Researcher: Finns ready for decisions on climate policy

“Moment is right for changes”

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Finns appear to be ready for political decisions aimed at fighting climate change, says Kari Tervonen, a researcher who has been analysing public attitudes over the past year.
     “The people would not be opposed”, says Tervonen, head of strategy at the market research company Kuulas Millward Brown.
     The studies indicate that Finnish attitudes have heated up, in favour of acting against global warming. For instance, more than 80 per cent of Finns feel that it is important to reduce travel as a way of fighting climate change.
     Tervonen says that people feel that it is possible to take advantage of the economic downturn to improve the climate. It appears to be an opportune moment for making changes right now, Tervonen says. More than 1,000 people were interviewed for the survey, which was commissioned by the independent think tank Demos Helsinki.
     
There is a strong belief among Finns in the impact of their own actions: 90 per cent feel that human action does have affect climate change.
     More than half said that they had changed their behaviour to make it more environmentally friendly in the past year. A majority agreed that climate change is a greater threat than the recession.
      Finns feel that countries with a high standard of living have great responsibility in fighting climate change, with 90 per cent of respondents saying that rich countries should show an example.
      Various campaigns appear to have had an effect on people, with nine out of ten Finns reporting that they have seen advertising with a climate theme. The respondents felt that the campaigns have had a considerable effect on their behaviour.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finnish cities stick to climate policy goals despite recession (2.3.2009)
  Vanhanen: Forest industry “reasonably satisfied” with EU climate package (15.12.2008)
  Pekkarinen: EU climate package progresses well for Finland (9.12.2008)

Links:
  Demos Helsinki

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