Ideology, environmental attitudes, and perceived pace of transition
Explaining public acceptance of fossil fuel phase-out in Spain
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 13084205 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Xaquin S Perez Sindin (0000-0002-7873-865X, University of Warsaw), Xaquin S Pérez-Sindín (University of Copenhagen, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-18 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-13 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Environmental Sociology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2325-1042 • E-ISSN: 2325-1042 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/23251042.2026.2627449 |
| OpenAlex | W7128807049 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 36 |
This article investigates acceptance of fossil fuel phase-out policies across national, regional, and local contexts in Spain. Drawing on data from a multi-scalar survey – including a nationally representative sample, a regional coal-mining subsample, and a locality embedded in coal production (As Pontes) – the study examines how demographics, political orientation, climate skepticism, perceptions of fairness, and perceived transition tempo shape public attitudes toward coal plant closures. The findings reveal a territorial gradient in support: highest at the national level, lower in coal municipalities, and lowest in As Pontes. While political orientation strongly predicts support nationally, this effect weakens in highly affected areas, where climate skepticism becomes the primary predictor – even among left-leaning respondents. The study introduces perceived transition tempo as a novel explanatory factor, suggesting that perceptions of rapid, top-down change can erode legitimacy. Resistance in As Pontes reflects not only material or ideological concerns but also emotional and symbolic dimensions, such as place attachment and perceived cultural displacement. The findings challenge fixed assumptions about ideological resistance and highlight the importance of temporal and territorial justice in shaping transition legitimacy. The article contributes to debates in environmental sociology by integrating spatial, symbolic, and temporal perspectives on public responses to decarbonization.
Climate change · Fossil fuel · Pace · Public opinion · Public participation · Risk perception · Climate Change Communication and Perception · Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy · Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
Vulnerability and Capacity
Likert scales, levels of measurement and the “laws” of statistics
Place attachment and public acceptance of renewable energy
Meta-analyses of the determinants and outcomes of belief in climate change
Participation as a pathway to procedural justice
Energy justice
Backlash to fossil fuel phase-outs
Drivers and attitudes of public support for technological solutions to climate change in 30 countries
The Social Bases of Environmental Concern
Temporal negotiations and injustices in the energy transition
Adaptation, culture, and the energy transition in American coal country
A meta-analysis on the drivers and barriers to the social acceptance of renewable and sustainable energy technologies
The global energy transition and place attachment in coal mining communities
What to expect when you're expecting engagement
Decarbonisation, place attachment and agency
The green transition and its potential territorial discontents
The revenge of the places that don’t matter (and what to do about it)
Rethinking Nimbyism
Socioeconomic geography of climate change views in Europe
Scepticism in a changing climate
Media attention for climate change around the world
Climate Change Vulnerability and Policy Support
Does Fossil Fuel Dependence Influence Public Awareness and Perception of Climate Change? A Cross-National Investigation
Left–right political orientation fails to explain environmental attitudes of Europeans outside Western Europe
Petro-masculinity
Ordinal Measures in Multiple Indicator Models
How to Get Coal Country to Vote for Climate Policy
The Politicization of Climate Change and Polarization in the American Public's Views of Global Warming, 2001-2010
People Want to Protect Themselves a Little Bit
| Highly cited | No |
|---|