A green transformation of society requires commitment from companies, politicians but also from individual citizens, but more knowledge is required to make the green shift.
14 October 2021
A green transformation of society requires commitment from companies, politicians but also from individual citizens. Tietoevry asked citizens of Finland, Sweden and Norway for their view on their own responsibility for the climate. The survey shows that knowledge, green premiums and even more digital tools are high on the respondents’ wish lists.
What motivates us as citizens to think and act more sustainably? This is an important question to tackle in the green shift as all societal transformations require a mind shift and new behaviors from each and every one. Tietoevry has a market survey together with YouGov to see what the temperature is among the general public in the Nordic countries.
Some 40% of respondents in Finland, Sweden and Norway said they lack digital tools to help them to be even more sustainable. In Finland, 55% of respondents would like to see more digital tools to support their ambitions for a sustainable lifestyle. In Sweden, 29% are asking for more digital tools – and in Norway the corresponding figure is 36%.
Regarding what is most likely to motivate the reduction of the personal climate footprint, knowledge is the top factor in all three countries. 37% of Finns think that knowledge is the driver, in Sweden 31% and in Norway 27% of the respondents think alike.
“The technology to enable resource-efficient lifestyles and consumption patterns already exists today. Nevertheless, the full potential of digitalization is not yet utilized for supporting and accelerating the green shift. We see that there is an increasing demand for innovation, collaboration and more advanced technical solutions within companies but also among citizens. For Nordic citizens, the key driver for change is knowledge – people’s awareness of their personal CO2 footprint. For companies, a core element in the transformation towards a circular economy society is technology, as it enables decarbonizing products and services,“ says Kia Haring, Global Head of Communication and Sustainability.
Another element that motivates us as consumers to take concrete action for the benefit of the climate is a personal benefit, such as climate compensation - a green premium. In Norway 31% of respondents support this type of compensation. In Sweden 29% would like to see a personal compensation and in Finland the corresponding figure is 27%.
What kind of consumption are the citizens in the Nordic countries willing to change in order to reduce their personal climate footprint? The top five actions are:
Are you interested in this topic? Take a look at our Almedalen Play Webinar (in Swedish only) on the theme of how to use the full potential of digitalization to achieve the climate goals - why does it take so long? How can we accelerate the green transition with the help of IT?
Read more about how we at Tietoevry make an impact on sustainability.