Governments should develop renewable energies and do more research in new technologies to reduce energy dependency, according to a Eurobarometer survey published on 24 January.
Forty seven per cent of those surveyed believe that the EU is the best suited level of decision-making to respond to energy challenges posed by high oil prices, global warming, and the security of energy supply issue. However, 37% said they thought the national level was the best suited level to take such decisions. The UK and Finland are the most eurosceptic with 66% and 67% respectively who think their national governments are in the best position to respond to these challenges.
Solar power ranked first (48%) among citizen's preferred alternative to imported energy sources while wind (31%) ranked third, totalling almost 80% for renewable energy sources. Promoting research in new energy technologies such as hydrogen and clean coal ranked second (41%) in citizen's single preferred alternative to reduce Europe's dependency on imports.
Regulating oil markets does not seem like a good option for most of those surveyed (only 23% support it) while nuclear power ranks last in the list with only 12% backing it as their preferred alternative source of energy.
But the survey also shows a majority of people (54%) are not yet ready to pay more for renewable energies, with opposition reaching 66% in EU-10 countries. However 27% are prepared to do so provided the price increase is limited to 5%. Opposition was lowest (below 50%) in Northern European countries (Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Netherlands) as well as in the UK, Spain and France.
