Jan Vávra

1. Climate Change and the Role of Institutions in Low Carbon Transition: Public Perception in Five EU Countries Jan Vávra Department of Structural Policy of the EU and Rural Development, Faculty of Economics, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice

2. 7th FP “Governance, Infrastructure, Lifestyle Dynamics and Energy Demand: European Post-Carbon Communities” (GILDED) 2008 – 2012 Project introduction 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) Identify social, economic, cultural and political changes which could help rural and urban households in Europe consume less energy.

3. 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). Three important topics • 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

4. 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 Methodology

5. Climate change perception and importance Importance of… Climate change perception Importance of problems for Europe 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.

6. Acceptance of mitigation measures Energy efficiency and renewable sources broadly accepted. Nuclear energy most controversial, even in relatively pro-nuclear countries.

7. Effort of institutions 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.

8. Impact 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.

9. 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 Effort and impact of the institutions

10. 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. Conclusion

11. Jan Vávra Department of Structural Policy of the EU and Rural Development Faculty of Economics, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice Studentská 13 370 05 České Budějovice Czech Republic jan.vavra@prirodou.cz http://ksr.ef.jcu.cz www.gildedeu.org Thank you for your attention!