Climate Change and the Role of Institutions in Low Carbon Transition

My PhD International Conference European Parliament, Brussels, October 2012

Climate Change and the Role of Climate Change and the Role of Institutions in Low Carbon Institutions in Low Carbon Transition: Public Perception in Transition: Public Perception in Five EU CountriesFive EU Countries

Jan Vávra Department of Structural Policy of the EU and Rural Development, Faculty of Economics, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice

Climate Change and the Role of Institutions in Low Carbon Transition

My PhD International Conference European Parliament, Brussels, October 2012

Project introductionProject introduction7th FP “Governance, Infrastructure, Lifestyle Dynamics and Energy Demand: European Post-Carbon Communities” (GILDED) 2008 – 2012

Identify social, economic, cultural and political changes which could help rural and urban households in Europe consume less energy.

University of South Bohemia

Birth of post-carbon society? Culture change through eyes of local community

(PhD thesis at Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague)

Climate Change and the Role of Institutions in Low Carbon Transition

My PhD International Conference European Parliament, Brussels, October 2012

Three important topicsThree important topics• Perception of climate change and its importance

compared to other global challenges.

• Preferred climate change mitigation measures.

• Perceived role of the institutions in the low carbon transition process (lowering energy demand).

Low carbon transition – EU climate and energy package (20-20-20)

• climate change mitigation

• higher energy efficiency

• resource and energy security

• green growth and new jobs

Climate Change and the Role of Institutions in Low Carbon Transition

My PhD International Conference European Parliament, Brussels, October 2012

MethodologyMethodology• questionnaire survey

• urban-rural comparison

• representative sample (but relatively overeducated)

• questions on values, attitudes, behaviour, CO2 calculator

• together 2486 respondents

• 5 countries: Scotland, Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic and Hungary

Climate Change and the Role of Institutions in Low Carbon Transition

My PhD International Conference European Parliament, Brussels, October 2012

Climate change perception and Climate change perception and importanceimportance

Importance of…

Climate change perception Importance of problems for Europe

1

2

3

4

5

Climate change perception Economic and f inancialcrisis

Climate changes Environmental pollution

Scotland

Netherlands

Germany

Czech Rep.

Hungary

Total

Germans most aware of climate changes, Czechs and Dutch respondents least.

Climate change as a part of the environmental pollution and unsustainable way of using the resources.

Environmental pollution is of the same importance as economic crisis.

Climate Change and the Role of Institutions in Low Carbon Transition

My PhD International Conference European Parliament, Brussels, October 2012

Acceptance of mitigation measuresAcceptance of mitigation measures

1

2

3

4

5

Lifestyle changes Energy efficiency Renewablesources

Nuclear energy

Scotland

Netherlands

Germany

Czech Rep.

Hungary

Total

Energy efficiency and renewable sources broadly accepted.

Nuclear energy most controversial, even in relatively pro-nuclear countries.

Climate Change and the Role of Institutions in Low Carbon Transition

My PhD International Conference European Parliament, Brussels, October 2012

Effort of institutionsEffort of institutions

1

2

3

4

5

EU politics andauthorities

National governments Local governments Environmental NGOs Energy producers anddistributors

Scotland

Netherlands

Germany

Czech Rep.

Hungary

Total

NGOs show the highest effort in reduction of overall energy demand, EU institutions ranked second highest effort.

National governments vary most, Czech and Hungarian governments score low.

Climate Change and the Role of Institutions in Low Carbon Transition

My PhD International Conference European Parliament, Brussels, October 2012

Impact of institutionsImpact of institutions

NGOs have highest impact on respondents’ own reduction of energy consumpiton.

EU institutions have lowest impact, national governments vary most.

Czechs and Hungarians express lowest impact on their behaviour.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

EU politics andauthorities

Nationalgovernments

Localgovernments

EnvironmentalNGOs

Friends Neighbourhood Other stateauthorities

Media

Scotland

Netherlands

Germany

Czech Rep.

Hungary

Total

Climate Change and the Role of Institutions in Low Carbon Transition

My PhD International Conference European Parliament, Brussels, October 2012

Effort and impact of the Effort and impact of the institutionsinstitutions• significant correlation of perceived effort and impact on

own behaviour of respondents

• strongest in Czech Rep. and Hungary

• increase of effort could lead to increase of impact

• Böhnke (2008) confirmed that perception of political and institutional settings is in the new EU countries more important for the subjective quality of life than in EU15

• but new EU countries have objectively worse level of governments

Climate Change and the Role of Institutions in Low Carbon Transition

My PhD International Conference European Parliament, Brussels, October 2012

ConclusionConclusion• Climate change is problem, however it is only a part of overal

unsustainable way of using resources and overall environmental pollution.

• Economic development and environmental protection are of the same importance.

• Renewable sources and energy efficiency are well accepted, lifestyle changes seem so.

• NGOs – good effort and good impact

• correlation of effort and impact of institutions

• overall institutional and political framework is important

• must be improved in CEE states (objectively worse, subjectively more important)

• Bad governance, distrust to other or hypocritical behaviour of institutions can demotivate people and hinder low carbon transition.

Climate Change and the Role of Institutions in Low Carbon Transition

My PhD International Conference European Parliament, Brussels, October 2012

Thank you for your attention!Thank you for your attention!

Jan VávraDepartment of Structural Policy of the EU and Rural Development Faculty of Economics, University of South Bohemia in České BudějoviceStudentská 13370 05 České BudějoviceCzech Republic

jan.vavra@prirodou.czhttp://ksr.ef.jcu.czwww.gildedeu.org