Recently, Mikel Jauregi, Minister of Industry, Energy Transition and Sustainability of the Basque Country, released the data from the latest research on what the citizens’ perception of issues as important as climate and energywith this last point emphasizing the renewable.
Coinciding with the celebration of the International Day against Climate Changethe Minister of Industry, Energy Transition and Sustainability, Mikel Jauregi, assessed the results of the latest Climate and Energy Ecobarometer (study by citizens’ perception of energy transition and climate change) carried out by the Sociological Prospecting Office of the Basque Government, in collaboration with the Basque Energy Entity-EVE and the Public Society for Environmental Management-Ihobe. The managing directors of both listed companies, Mikel Amundarain and Alex Boto, also took part in the presentation.
One of the most important results to emerge from the research is that Three in four people in the Basque Country think that the energy and climate transition will create new opportunities for the Basque economy. Councilor Jauregi has emphasized that “as a country we cannot afford to have only 8% of energy generation from renewable energy sources.
To give an example: Euskadi has the entire industrial chain to design, plan, build and operate a wind farm, and it is time to make a qualitative leap with new parks on our territory. He 75% of the Basque population believes that the energy and climate transition is a fact It will bring new opportunities for our economy and it is time to take advantage of them. It is up to our generation to provide a solution to climate change. It is now and it is us.
The advisor also appealed to the responsibility and shared involvement of citizens and institutions in the use of renewable energy sources in new major projects. “For climate denialism is rampant in other countriesIn Euskadi, 76% of citizens are concerned about climate change.
We have enormous citizen awareness to face a historic moment. We must take advantage of this majority support to make a qualitative leap setting up new sustainable energy projects. In recent years we have made great progress in energy efficiency and self-consumption, but we need to implement larger wind and solar energy projects. “We cannot only provide our industry with solar panels on the roofs of our houses.”
According to the Climate and Energy Ecobarometer, this is the Basque population Rate the severity of climate change with 7.5 points on a scale of 1 to 10. The most common feelings among Basques about climate change are ‘helplessness’ (49% mention this as one of the top two feelings), ‘indignation’ (39%) and ‘fear’ (31%). In turn, the consequences considered most likely in the Basque Country are more frequent heat waves (86% consider this very or very likely), sea level rise (82%) and an increase in the frequency of flooding (78%). %).
Jauregi has highlighted how in Euskadi we are already seeing some of the first effects of climate change: “we are increasingly aware of the extreme phenomena arising from climate changewith heat waves in summer and persistent periods of heavy rain leading to flooding in winter.
On this path, the energy transition is fundamental, and not only our economy depends on it, but also our food, our health, biodiversity and our natural environment, and ultimately our own survival.
What is the best energy?
When asked about the types of energy to be promoted in the territorythe Basque population pays most attention to solar energy (8.1 on a scale of 0 to 10), marine energy (7.9), wind energy (7.7) and geothermal energy (7.5), followed by biomass ( 6.5), hydrogen (6.4) and natural gas (5.5). According to the Basque population, petroleum derivatives and nuclear energy would be the two types that should be least promoted (3.9 and 2.6 respectively).
Another notable fact is that almost 7 in 10 people (69%) think the impact of renewable energy installationsalthough this means that the fight against climate change is slowing down.
Councilor Mikel Jauregi has stated that “society must be involved in the urgent need to implement new renewable energy generation projects.” 58% of citizens are in favor of a renewable energy generation park in their area, while 72% are in favor of it To act against climate change, we must all give up comfort.
“We understand these figures as a mandate from citizens to make progress on this path, but we are aware that we need to redouble pedagogy and socialization to grow this rate of support and ensure that citizens are truly aware of the social, economic and environmental benefits that renewable energy sources will deliver«.
On the other hand, the majority of respondents are in accordance with measures against climate change they were asked about, in particular: forcing owner communities to have facilities to generate the energy they consume (58% completely or somewhat agree), banning the access of polluting vehicles to cities (56%), imposing more taxes on vehicles that pollute more (56%) and creating more green areas, which eliminates parking spaces (55%).
Jauregi has also recognized the efforts of the Basque industry. “The industrial sector in Euskadi, with the Basque Net Zero Industrial Super Cluster initiative at the helm, has been working hand in hand to achieve net zero emissions by 2050making a major commitment to decarbonisation and energy self-sufficiency through renewable energy sources.
The The energy transition is a shared challenge that concerns us all, and just like the industry, the rest of the sectors and society in general, we must continue on this path, each from our own area, so as not to be left behind.
“As a country we cannot afford to lag behind and remain energy dependent on third parties. Recently we have suffered the consequences of this dependence, with a gas price increase that has burdened our economy, the competitiveness of our businesses and the pockets of our families. It’s time to have one decided to commit to renewable energy sources as a brake on climate changebut also think about Euskadi’s energy sovereignty in the future.
What’s happening in ASTEKLIMA?
In this sense, Jauregi wanted to emphasize the ‘need to take advantage of the new instruments that the Energy Transition and Climate Change Actapproved by a large parliamentary majority last February, 82% of the Chamber, to redouble citizens’ awareness.”
Exactly, between ASTEKLIMA is celebrated on October 18 and 27the Euskadi Climate and Energy Week, promoted by the Ministry of Industry, Energy Transition and Sustainability, through EVE and Ihobe, to put the challenges of the energy and climate transition on the citizens’ agenda.
«The success or failure of the fight against climate change It will depend on the ability to promote ambitious transformative projects, it will depend on the ability to add support. It is a shared challenge that must be addressed at multiple levels. We must socialize the magnitude of this great challenge and make every person in this country a key player. Every gesture, every action, no matter how small, also counts,” Jauregi added.
Study data
The research into citizens’ perception of the energy transition, renewable and climate change is the third in a series carried out by the Basque government, after those in 2017 and 2021. The fieldwork was carried out between September 9 and 20, 2024, via individual telephone interview, using a structured and closed questionnaireconducted on a representative sample of the population of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country.
The monster that asked about the renewable and other subjects on which the conclusions of said research were based aimed at a population aged 18 or older. The figures per city are as follows: 436 in Araba, 768 in Bizkaia and 641 in Gipuzkoa and the total reached 1,845 interviews.