Fostering individual empowerment.
The global energy crisis has led to higher energy prices that have hit the wallet of EU citizens. A series of measures have been taken that require a push for technological change and innovation, along with changes in citizens' behaviour; as "tackling the energy transition and climate change represents the way forward as a society" (Interview 28, Energy Cooperative). Changes in energy-related attitudes and behavioral aspects will be swayed by individual motivations, alongside the opportunities and challenges these individuals face. A central challenge is looking to maintain decent living standards. Nonetheless:
you feel better about yourself if you do that. Plus, you get some satisfaction from it. And I certainly do take a lot of pride from my work. I'm not grudgingly doing the work; I am enjoying it. It makes me feel good in myself, I like it. (Interview 14, Energy Cooperative).
Indeed, to define what living well entails and what it means to be fulfilled may contrast between different people. For some, it may mean making a small (or large) individual contribution to change. Yet for others, it may mean striking a balance between individual desires and responsibility for the environment, or even sharing community experiences of fighting towards sustainability.
In the following link you might read about…
- What do we mean by the term motivations?
- Am I motivated? What drives my behaviour?
- Types of motivation and their impact on energy citizenship
