Public perceptions of energy security in Greece and Turkey: Exploring the relevance of pro-environmental and pro-cultural orientations

Recent definitions of energy security have evolved to include qualitative dimensions, such as social acceptability, alongside more classic issues such as the availability and affordability of energy supplies. Despite the importance of lay-public opinion in shaping energy and environmental policy, however, currently relatively little is known about the underlying nature of people’s attitudes towards energy security. The current study used an online survey to gather perceptions of energy security in samples from two neighbouring countries with a historical reliance on energy imports (i.e. Greece & Turkey). There was a specific focus on understanding the relationships between individuals’ pro-environmental and pro-cultural orientations and their energy security concerns. The results not only confirm the multifaceted nature of energy security attitudes but also indicate that the extent and nature of this concern (both in general and in terms of a number of sub-facets of concern) differs between populations. While pro-cultural orientations were not predictive of concern in either subsample, pro-environmental orientations were (e.g. for concerns about fossil fuel depletion within the Greek subsample). This research contributes to the literature pertaining to the nature and antecedents of lay-public opinions of energy security and provides a footing for further systematic investigation into this area.