Hungarians Want to Get Rid of Russian Energy Dependence

More than three quarters of Hungarians believe that the country should produce its energy needs at home and not depend on other countries, especially Russian gas, according to a recent opinion poll commissioned by Greenpeace and conducted by the Policy Solutions Institute and ZRI Závech Research in the last week of March.

Greenpeace therefore expects the government to immediately reduce the country's dependence on fossil energy in Russia and in general, launch energy efficiency and conservation programs and boost the uptake of renewable technologies, including wind energy.

The key findings of the poll on what Hungarians think about the country's future energy policy includes that renewables and energy efficiency should play a key role in Hungary's energy supply. A convincing majority also believe that the state should actively support investments in efficiency and conservation to reduce our energy demand, and there is a strong consensus that the country should say goodbye to oil and coal.

"Energy independence is the key to Hungary's peace and security. And the transition away from imported energy can only be achieved if the government actively promotes energy saving investments and the deployment of renewables among the population. In the light of the war in Ukraine, the price to be paid for Hungary's heavy gas dependence is clear. This war is an energy war: it is financed and run by oil, gas and coal. But not a single innocent victim has had to die for solar, wind or geothermal energy," Greenpeace's climate and energy campaigner András Perger said.