[Public Opinion Briefing 39-1] Energy Crisis Requires Fundamental Solutions

[Public Opinion Briefing 39] The World Demands a Transition in Energy Policy

[Issue 1] Global Perspectives on Energy Solutions

[Issue 2] Global Strategies for Implementing Energy Solutions

Issue 1. Global Perspectives on Energy Solutions  StartFragment

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The global spread of the energy crisis, fueled by soaring international oil prices in the first half of the year, has heightened concerns worldwide. A majority of the global population identifies the development of alternative energies, such as solar and wind power, and the transition to energy-efficient systems as fundamental solutions to energy challenges. This was confirmed by an international opinion poll conducted by WorldPublicOpinion.org, surveying 20,790 individuals across 21 countries. In Korea, the East Asia Institute and The Kyunghyang Shinmun analyzed public opinion.

The survey results indicate that 77% of respondents advocated for expanding alternative energy facilities as a solution to the energy crisis, while a significant 73% agreed on the need to enhance the energy efficiency of social infrastructure, such as buildings. This suggests a preference for new and fundamental energy policies, including the development of alternative energy sources and the establishment of social infrastructure that promotes energy conservation. In contrast, only 40% supported quantitative expansion of existing primary energy sources like nuclear power plants or thermal power facilities utilizing oil and coal.

[Figure 1] Solutions to the Energy Crisis

However, subtle differences in perspectives emerge depending on a nation's industrial structure and natural resource endowment. In developed and newly industrialized countries where industrial production and exports are crucial economic pillars, and energy consumption is thus inevitable, there is a strong demand for fundamental revisions to energy policies, such as developing alternative energies and transitioning to more energy-efficient social infrastructure. Conversely, countries whose national wealth heavily relies on energy exports, supported by abundant energy resources, tend to favor the expansion of existing energy production facilities.

In Western developed countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, support for expanding alternative energy facilities like solar and wind power, and for replacing major social infrastructure with more energy-efficient systems, exceeded 80%. Similarly, in major trading nations such as Korea, Taiwan, and China, where manufacturing exports constitute a significant portion of their economies and energy supply remains a persistent concern, public opinion favoring the expansion of alternative energy facilities and the development of energy-efficient consumption infrastructure also surpassed 80%.

In contrast, in major oil-exporting countries with abundant petroleum resources and developing nations with fragile manufacturing bases, the call for fundamental shifts in energy policy is relatively weak. In countries belonging to the Commonwealth of Independent States, which, along with the Middle East, leads global oil exports, and in nations like Indonesia, support for alternative energy development and the establishment of energy-efficient social infrastructure ranged between 50% and 60%.

[Figure 2] Distribution of Support for Expanding Alternative Energy Facilities / Developing Energy-Efficient Social Infrastructure by Country

* Country-specific data can be found in Table 1 below.

[Table 1] Percentage (%) of Support for Expanding Alternative Energy Facilities / Developing Energy-Efficient Social Infrastructure by Country

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Note: Grayed-out countries are OECD countries and major trading partners (Taiwan/China).

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Citizens in late-developing economies or countries with abundant traditional energy resources tend to prefer thermal power generation using traditional energy sources like oil/coal or nuclear power generation over new and fundamental energy measures. The proportion advocating for the expansion of nuclear power generation showed relatively high response rates, with Jordan at 58%, Kenya at 57%, Nigeria at 56%, and Argentina at 55%. These countries also showed high response rates for the expansion of thermal power plants: Kenya 69%, Jordan 63%, Argentina 60%, and Nigeria 56%.

Meanwhile, countries such as China and South Korea, known for their substantial nuclear power technology accumulation, as well as Argentina, and Italy, which declared the restart of nuclear power generation for the first time in 20 years after halting it through a national referendum in 1988, show a relatively higher preference for nuclear power over thermal power generation reliant on oil/coal, indicating a pressing need for energy supply. In China, 63% of citizens, South Korea 55%, Italy 52%, and India 51% cited the expansion of nuclear power plants as a solution to energy problems. In Western developed countries, the United States (42%) and the United Kingdom (41%), which boast nuclear power technology, show a higher preference for nuclear power compared to thermal power. However, in Germany and France, expectations for nuclear power generation were very low. In former Soviet Union countries, such as Russia (27%) and Ukraine (9%), which suffered direct damage from the Chernobyl disaster, public opinion regarding nuclear power is largely negative.

[Figure 3] Distribution of Preference for Nuclear Power Expansion and Thermal (Oil/Coal) Power Generation by Country

* Refer to Table 1 below for country-specific figures.

[Table 2] Preference Rates (%) for Nuclear Power Expansion and Thermal (Oil/Coal) Power Generation by CountryStartFragment

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Note: Gray-shaded countries are those that simultaneously prefer nuclear and thermal power generation. Countries with bold borders are those with a relatively high preference ratio for nuclear power.