In brief

• According to a survey by the European Investment Bank, three quarters of EU residents consider phasing out fossil fuels urgent.
• Around 87 percent of respondents want the transition to low-emission energy to be a priority, compared with 82 percent in 2022.
• The most support went to solar energy, chosen by 52 percent of respondents.

Urgency of change according to the survey

Three quarters of European Union residents regard reducing fossil fuels as an urgent matter, and around 87 percent of respondents in the 27 EU countries favour making the transition to low-emission energy a priority (Európania chcú rýchly odchod od fosílnych palív a uprednostnenie zelených zdrojov, tvrdí Európska investičná banka – Pravda.sk) (Tri štvrtiny Európanov chcú rýchly koniec fosílnych palív, volajú po OZE | oPeniazoch.sk – zoznam.sk) (Väčšina občanov EÚ považujú odklon od fosílnych palív za naliehavý – teraz.sk). In the previous survey, conducted in 2022, 82 percent of respondents pointed to this change, at the time of the energy crisis linked to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Rising prices fuel support

According to the bank's findings, rising fossil fuel prices have convinced many people that renewable energy is the best way to control costs. The European Union's heavy dependence on energy imports further strengthens this argument. EIB President Nadia Calviño stressed that in a rapidly changing geopolitical situation, the shift to renewable sources serves both the climate and the economy, because it lowers energy costs for businesses and households.

Technology preferences

Solar energy gained the most supporters in the survey. Its development was chosen by 52 percent of respondents. Wind energy was selected by 37 percent, and nuclear energy by 19 percent..