Support for nuclear power and proenvironmental attitudes: the cases of Germany and Poland

Europe's energy system faces significant challenges in reducing its dependence on imports and decarbonising itself. In this context, a resurgence of discussion has occurred in recent years about the future role of nuclear power, which currently supplies one-quarter of the European Union's electricity. Public support for the development of nuclear energy plays an important role in the debate on the future role of the energy sector, as it influences legal regulations and political decisions. We investigate the relationship between support for the development of nuclear power and environmental values, knowledge, cognitive abilities, and assessment of the effectiveness of climate change mitigation measures using data from random-quota surveys in Germany (n = 933) and Poland (n = 878). Using a logistic regression model, we demonstrate that support for nuclear power is substantially higher in Poland than in Germany, and that in Poland, support for nuclear power relates less negatively to environmental values than it was observed in previous studies conducted in Western Europe. It also relates positively to the degree of public knowledge—both about nuclear energy and the causes of climate change. Our findings contribute to understanding of the mechanisms that shape attitudes towards nuclear power and to assessing its potential for public support in the European Union.