Energy policy trade-offs in Poland: A best-worst scaling discrete choice experiment

Highlights: • Public acceptance of CO2 reduction policy for a coal oriented country is investigated. • Polish public prioritizes household energy bills and employment over CO2 reduction. • The youngest age groups especially prioritize quick CO2 action. • Being female and having higher education correlate with demand for CO2 reduction. This study applied a discrete choice experiment using best-worst scaling questions (multi-profile, BWS case 3) to estimate the trade-offs which a sample of the Polish population is willing to make for energy reform regarding carbon reduction. Attributes considered in the study are CO₂ emissions reduction, National energy independence, Employment impact, Time needed for policy transition, and Impact on household energy prices. Respondents (n = 639) choose the best and worst of the presented policy options to fit a rank-ordered logit model. This study reveals concern about climate change among respondents, but that they prioritize energy prices and employment in their choice of preferred energy policy with significant variation across groups. A key distinction is revealed in the preferences by age cohort in which youngest (2 and time to transition. Stronger and more urgent desires for CO₂ reduction policies were also identified among the decisions of female respondents, those having more education, those without children, and middle and upper income groups. The respondents' choices also revealed consistent loss aversion in all attributes presented in the choice experiment.