A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Subjective energy poverty and attitudes on climate change mitigation measures: Empirical and ethical considerations;




AuthorsSivonen, Jukka; Siipi, Helena; Härmä, Vuokko; Karvonen, Sakari

PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC

Publication year2026

Journal: AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment

ISSN0044-7447

eISSN1654-7209

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-026-02434-7

Publication's open availability at the time of reportingOpen Access

Publication channel's open availability Partially Open Access publication channel

Web address https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-026-02434-7

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/526832377

Self-archived copy's licenceCC BY

Self-archived copy's versionPublisher`s PDF


Abstract

Objective energy poverty—commonly defined using indicators such as the relationship between energy costs, income, and energy required for adequate living—has been widely studied, yet less is known about how subjective energy poverty shapes attitudes toward climate change mitigation measures. This study examines theoretical and empirical links between subjective energy poverty and support for climate measures, including fossil fuel taxation and two climate nudges. We argue that “leaving behind” harm arises from subjective energy poverty independently of objective conditions, whereas economic harms from climate nudges are more likely among individuals experiencing only objective energy poverty. Empirically, we analyze nationally representative Finnish survey data from 2023 (n = 5909) using ordered probit regression. Results show that higher subjective energy poverty is associated with lower support for climate measures. The findings highlight the importance of addressing energy poverty in designing and communicating climate policy.


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Funding information in the publication
Open Access funding provided by Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. Open Access funding provided by Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. This research received support from the Strategic Research Council at the Academy of Finland (grant number 335186).


Last updated on 29/07/2026 02:14:58 PM