Induced Transnational Preference Change: Fukushima and Nuclear Power in Europe

Abstract

We test whether the relationship between subjective well-being (SWB) of European citizens and the structure of electricity supply has changed after the Fukushima nuclear accident of March 11, 2011. Survey data for about 124,000 individuals in 23 European countries reveal that while European citizens’ SWB was statistically unrelated to the share of nuclear power before the Fukushima disaster, it was negatively related to the nuclear share after the disaster. Taking the relationship between SWB and the electricity supply structure as an indicator of preference, this suggests the existence of an induced transnational preference change.