Energy Attitudes of the Finns 2009

The survey charted Finnish attitudes to energy production and energy strategy. The data are part of an extensive survey series launched in 1983. The respondents' conceptions, opinions, beliefs, assessments, attitudes, and knowledge about energy issues were studied by presenting them with a number of statements relating to energy production. They were also asked whether Finland should increase or decrease the use of certain energy sources (e.g. coal, peat, natural gas, nuclear power, hydropower, wind power, renewable energy) in electricity generation. One topic focused on what factors were important in energy production choices, for example, reliability of supply, availability, renewability, impact on employment, affordable price, environmental impact. The reliability of various sources of information (e.g. different ministries, energy companies, Motiva, TTS, the EU and various energy sector organisations) was surveyed. Finally, the respondents evaluated how likely it was that certain developments would take place during the next 10-15 years. For instance, that Finland would become less dependent on imported energy, unemployment would change into labour shortage, Finland would give up nuclear power, energy consumption would decrease, Finland would start importing nuclear energy. The developments mentioned pertained to energy consumption, nuclear power, nuclear waste, coal, energy markets and electric cars. Background variables included the respondent's gender, age group, size of municipality of residence, region of residence, basic and vocational education, occupational status and economic activity, and which political party R would vote for if the parliamentary elections were held at the time of the survey.