This paper assesses the impact of the Swiss CO2 levy on residential heating energy demand and the associated CO2 emissions. Using the synthetic control method, the results show that the levy led to an average annual reduction in CO2 emissions of 6.5% during the post-treatment period (2008–2021), corresponding to a decrease of 0.1 metric tons of CO2 per capita per year. Furthermore, the empirically estimated price elasticities for heating oil indicate that the short-run elasticity for the retail price is −0.044, while the elasticity for the CO2 levy is −0.997, demonstrating that consumers respond more strongly to policy-induced price changes than to market-driven price changes. In the long run, these elasticities increase to −0.054 (retail price) and −1.215 (levy), highlighting that over time, households adjust their demand more significantly in response to sustained price changes. A similar pattern is observed for natural gas, with short-run elasticities of −0.216 (retail) and −0.547 (levy), increasing to −0.552 and −1.396, respectively, in the long run. These findings are consistent with the Swiss CO2 levy contributing to lower fossil-fuel demand and building-sector emissions, although the SCM inference does not reach conventional levels of statistical significance. The results underline the importance of policy-induced price instruments and highlight the necessity of high levy rates to ensure a measurable impact on consumption behavior.
Türkiye is approaching the commissioning of its first commercial nuclear power plant, yet almost no quantitative evidence exists on how its public views radioactive waste management. This study reports an online survey of 497 respondents conducted in October–December 2025, measuring objective knowledge of radioactive waste, perceived risk, trust in the responsible organizations, and acceptance. Objective knowledge was low: respondents answered a mean of 2.33 of five factual items correctly, and 12.9% knew that properly contained waste does not continuously emit radiation. Perceived risk was uniformly high (M = 4.29 on a five-point scale), greatest on consequences for future generations and on accidents during nuclear waste transport. Trust was uneven: government statements (M = 2.56) and media reporting (M = 2.32) fell below the midpoint of the scale, while scientific explanations (M = 3.58), international inspections (M = 3.42), and the competence of Turkish engineers (M = 3.28) lay above it. Acceptance was low (M = 2.69), and 76.1% rejected a waste facility near their own city. Knowledge was unrelated to perceived risk (r = −0.078, p > 0.05) and to acceptance (r = 0.007, p > 0.05), and weakly related to trust (r = 0.186, p < 0.001), whereas perceived risk was strongly associated with trust (r = −0.583, p < 0.001) and trust with acceptance (r = 0.513, p < 0.001). Communication addressing only factual knowledge is therefore unlikely to change how this risk is perceived. The results provide a baseline recorded before commercial operation begins.
