Professional Documents
Culture Documents
of the
Atomic
Scientists
Abstract
Avoiding catastrophic climate change will require rapid decarbonization of the worlds energy supply
systems, and achieving such a significant transformation will involve a range of social and psychological
challenges. The authors write that public consent and acceptability will need to be fostered if plans for
large-scale renewable energy systems are to be realized. Despite highly favorable views in national polls,
some renewable projects have already encountered severe public contestation. The authors write that valu-
able lessons can be learned from existing research on the siting controversies that have surrounded nuclear
power and radioactive waste facilities. A range of contextual factors drive local opposition: lack of tangible
local benefits, threats to valued landscapes or community identity, and distrust of outside agencies. Poorly
executed dialogue and communication processes also serve to rapidly escalate concerns. The facility siting
credo provides an important set of evidence-based principles for those seeking to engage communities about
new renewable energy infrastructure projects.
Keywords
climate change, facility siting credo, nuclear power, public attitudes, radioactive waste, renewable energy,
wind power
compared with conventional fossil fuels established facilities and is often some-
or nuclear power (Greenberg and what more supportive than national
Truelove, 2009; McGowan and Sauter, polls report (Greenberg and Truelove,
2005). Unlike with nuclear power, most 2009).8 Likewise, a 2010 survey of
people, when considering renewables as Britains population found that 82 per-
an abstract idea, view renewable sources cent were very or mainly in favor
very positively, as a clean and natural of wind energy (Corner et al., 2011); how-
resource that will not run out (Demski, ever, as was characterized in Wales, this
2011). Further, this also is in keeping with does not mean all will remain calm when
the widespread belief that people should new large-scale projects are brought
show a degree of responsible steward- into communities.
ship toward the natural environment With nuclear power opposition, a
(Dunlap, 2008). prominent feature at the local
But those are national polls, which, by levelalthough its roots are in factors
their very nature, encourage respond- associated with generic distrust issues,
ents to look at an issue as related to like transparency, hubris, etc.is that
their countryrather than directly poorly constructed consultation pro-
applying the issue closer to home, in cesses often become linked to peoples
their own community. National polls suspicions that powerful outside insti-
rarely tap peoples limits of acceptabil- tutions and vested interests are
ity, while perceptions related to the local unfairly profiting from a development;
level do allow respondents to context- therefore, communities worry about
ualize the acceptability of a particular the harm that certain large-scale
development by considering it in rela- power projects might bring locally or
tion to their communitys local history that an institutions activities will
and social fabric (Bell et al., 2005). A fea- ultimately threaten local community
ture of large-scale energy systems is that autonomy and identity. This was the
they have a material reality that is case in 2003 and 2004, in Devon,
unique to each communitya particular England, where Peninsular Power Ltd
physical, social, and economic footprint. proposed the construction of a 21.5
For example, public attitudes toward megawatt biomass gasifier. Not only
both nuclear power and radioactive did the community doubt the credibil-
waste facilities show a very complex ity of the developer, but they argued
set of relationships between the technol- that the industrial-scale technology
ogy (real or proposed) and geography would damage their quality of life,
(the aspects of a communitys physical, citing concerns of unhealthy plant
social, and psychological make-up). An emissions, as well as increased truck
important distinction also must be traffic, pollution, and noise (Upham
drawn here between a communitys and Shackley, 2006). Public consult-
views toward the idea of siting a com- ation also occurred late in the deci-
pletely new facility in the community, sion-making process, and, thus,
which, in actuality, is typically met community members struggled to
with more hostility than national polls make their concerns heard. This
anticipate (Rosa and Dunlap, 1994), and experience reinforced the communitys
a community that lives close to long- distrust and negative perceived
46 Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 68(4)
1. SEEK CONSENSUS.
Conclusion
engagement by all of usscientists,
Although new low-carbon technologies engineers, industry leaders, financial
and fiscal instruments for curbing emis- institutions, and, above all, governments
sions at a community or individual level and their communitiesto pull off the
will become increasingly important, it is most extensive socio-technical trans-
uncertain whether they, alone, can deli- formation the world has yet seen.
ver either the degree or pace of change
that is required to ensure that the global
society avoids the dangers of climate Funding
change. But, indeed, they are a start. The authors would like to acknowledge the support
of the Leverhulme Trust (F/00 407/AG), the
Over the coming decades, almost Economic and Social Research Council (RES-066-
every country around the world must 27-0013), and the UK Energy Research Centre
profoundly transform its national and (NE/G007748/1).
international approach to energy pro-
duction and consumption. These Notes
energy-system changes bear upon mul- 1. Nuclear powers very large up-front capital
tiple long-term public policy goals, costs and back-end waste-disposal arrange-
including the need for genuinely sustain- ments have been a financial Achilles heel,
able economies; the provision of energy and, combined with public protest, was the
main reason why the construction of nuclear
security, as well as affordable energy for
stations ground to a halt in the more liberal-
everyone, everywhere; and the mitiga- ized global-market conditions of the 1990s
tion of the environmental impacts of onward (Welsh, 2000).
energy production and use. 2. An account of the place nuclear power
Above all, countries cannot continue played in national identity and politics in
their unabated use of fossil fuels as they France after World War II is found in
have in the past; they must establish Hecht (1998).
3. Social scientist James Flynn (2003) docu-
national objectives, despite the current
ments how close links between the US mili-
poor progress of international negoti- tary and civilian programs led to the initial
ations. This isnt impossible: The high levels of secrecy in both. When exam-
United Kingdom has set a goal of an 80 ples of poor practice came to light in the
percent reduction in its national carbon early days of the military program (e.g.,
emissions by the year 2050, and other intentional exposure of military personnel
countries have made equally ambitious to weapons tests), this contributed to stig-
national targets. matization and growing distrust of the man-
agement on nuclear matters as a wholea
Avoiding catastrophic climate change
development not helped by the growing real-
is the single most pressing environmen- ization that many of the early claims for the
tal problem facing the world community promise of nuclear power could not be
today. Without addressing this success- upheld.
fully, governments will be unlikely to 4. Public distrust in the authorities ability to
meet other fundamental objectives consider the risks of both nuclear power
such as poverty alleviation, clean devel- and radioactive wasteand to manage
them safelywas also identified as a power-
opment, and basic health care provision
ful predictor of opposition in national sur-
for all. An orderly way to meet this chal- veys (Pidgeon et al., 1992; Slovic et al., 1991).
lenge is by remodeling the global energy 5. Media reporting often serves to amplify a
system. But this requires full range of factors, such as dread and distrust,
Pidgeon and Demski 49
which prompt concern about a technology now been discredited by both theoretical
(Kasperson et al., 2003). advances and empirical data. From a theor-
6. A number of countries have reframed the etical perspective, assuming a deficit of
image of nuclear power as a clean alterna- knowledge can be patronizing to a commu-
tive to fossil fuels (Bickerstaff et al., 2008; nity and often deflects debate from the real
Nisbet, 2009) and as a potentially valuable concerns that people wish to have aired; it
part of the energy fuel mix. is therefore not conducive to establishing a
7. Although the evidence for significant health genuinely participatory interaction
effects is highly uncertain, electromagnetic between site developers, regulators, and
fields from overhead power lines hold nega- communities (Pidgeon et al., 1992). From
tive associations with invisible radiation an empirical perspective, the core assump-
exposure (Morgan et al., 2002: 141151). On tion of the deficit model also appears to be
the ground, overhead power lines and asso- false, as studies have consistently shown
ciated infrastructure, such as transmission that peoples perception and acceptance
stations, offer little direct benefit to people of technology and science are not straight-
living close to them, are seen as posing these forwardly attributable to their level of
uncertain electromagnetic health risks, and knowledge about them (Sturgis and
for many are detrimental to local landscapes. Allum, 2004; Wynne and Irwin, 1996).
8. While it is easy to see why local attitudes are 10. With onshore wind energy, for example,
overwhelmingly negative in advance of a people tend to be mostly concerned about
proposed new development, given the the potential impact upon valued or par-
unique dreaded signature of nuclear ticularly sensitive landscapes, suggesting
power and waste, the position in existing that there are both more, and less, suitable
nuclear communities is far more complex. places to site such developments. With bio-
With the latter, the community is likely to mass, people tend to worry that emissions
be more polarized on the issue (with both are not properly managed and controlled.
strong pro- and anti- views represented), This association with burning and emis-
while local factors and context always sions makes biomass distinct from other
come into play to attenuate some residents renewable-generating sources; in fact, bio-
risk perceptions. These include the familiar- mass may not be perceived as renewable
ity gained over time with economic and at all (Whitmarsh et al., 2011).
employment benefits if a plant has been 11. Contemporary academic thinking is that
operating without great incident, as well as NIMBYism is a highly misleading label
increased trust in local management and its that oversimplifies what prompts local con-
operations (Venables et al., 2009). Equally, cerns. Modern academia also argues that
as our own interview research has shown, NIMBYism risks alienating local commu-
some events (local incidents, a media nities that must host such developments
report of a nuclear accident elsewhere) do (Devine-Wright, 2011; Ramana, 2011).
hold the capacity at such locations to rapidly 12. Compensation in the absence of
escalate concerns (Parkhill et al., 2010). co-ownership is also a complex issue to per-
9. This phenomenon is now discussed in terms fect, as it is not always clear which party has
of the so-called deficit model of science the responsibility to pay; furthermore, to
communication. This model assumed that local communities, such offers can resem-
the public had a simple deficit of technical ble bribery schemes if trust has already
knowledge and that greater acceptability been lost (Aitken, 2010).
would follow from provision of greater 13. Local residents on Gigha displayed very
knowledge (about the technology, its risks, positive attitudes toward wind energy,
benefits, etc.). However, early attempts to even more positive than prior to the devel-
persuade the public to accept nuclear opment. They also exhibited a strong sense
power in this way proved a spectacular fail- of pride in, and connection with their
ure. And the simple deficit hypothesis has wind farm project, evidenced by the fact
50 Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 68(4)
that they named the turbines the Three Greenberg M and Truelove HB (2009) Energy
Dancing Ladies (Warren and McFayden, choices and risk beliefs: Is it just global warming
2010). and fear of a nuclear power plant accident? Energy
Policy 31(5): 819831.
Hecht G (1998) The Radiance of France: Nuclear
References Power and National Identity after World War II.
Aitken M (2010) Wind power and community bene- Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
fits: Challenges and opportunities. Energy Policy Kasperson JX, Kasperson RE, Pidgeon NF, et al.
38(10): 60666075. (2003) The social amplification of risk:
Bell D, Gray T, and Haggett C (2005) The social gap Assessing fifteen years of research and theory.
in wind farm policy siting decisions: Explanations In: Pidgeon N, Kasperson RE, and Slovic P (eds)
and policy responses. Environmental Politics The Social Amplification of Risk. Cambridge:
14(4): 460477. Cambridge University Press, 1346.
Bickerstaff K, Lorenzoni I, Pidgeon NF, et al. (2008) Kunreuther H, Fitzgerald K, and Aarts T (1993) Siting
Re-framing nuclear power in the UK energy noxious facilities: A test of the facility siting
debate: Nuclear power, climate change mitigation credo. Risk Analysis 13(6): 301318.
and radioactive waste. Public Understanding of McGowan F and Sauter R (2005) Public Opinion on
Science 17(2): 145169. Energy Research: A Desk Study for the Research
Boholm and Lo fstedt R (2004) Facility Siting: Risk Councils. Brighton: University of Sussex.
Power and Identity in Land Use Planning. London: McGrath M (2008) Britains happiest places mapped.
Earthscan. BBC, August 28. Available at: http://news.
Butler C, Parkhill KA, and Pidgeon NF (2011) Nuclear ?bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7584321.stm.
power after Japan: The social dimensions. McLachlan C (2010) Technologies in place: Symbolic
Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable interpretations of renewable energy. Sociological
Development 53(6): 314. Review 57(2): 181199.
Corner A, Venables D, Spence A, et al. (2011) Nuclear Morgan MG, Fischhoff B, Bostron A, et al. (2002) Risk
power, climate change and energy security: Communication: A Mental Models Approach.
Exploring British public attitudes. Energy Policy Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
39(9): 48234833. Nisbet MC (2009) Communicating climate change:
Cotton M and Devine-Wright P (2011) NIMBYism Why frames matter for public engagement.
and community consultation in electricity trans- Environment 51(2): 1223.
mission network planning. In: Devine-Wright P OECD and Nuclear Energy Agency (2010) Public
(ed.) Renewable Energy and the Public: From Attitudes to Nuclear Power. NEA No. 6859. Paris.
NIMBY to Participation. London: Earthscan, Available at: www.oecd-nea.org/ndd/reports/
115130. 2010/nea6859-public-attitudes.pdf.
Demski C (2011) Public perceptions of renewable Parkhill KA, Pidgeon NF, Henwood KL, et al. (2010)
energy technologies: Challenging the notion of From the familiar to the extraordinary:
widespread support. Doctoral thesis, Cardiff Local residents perceptions of risk when
University. living with nuclear power in the UK.
Devine-Wright P (2011) Renewable Energy and the Transactions of the Institute of British
Public: From NIMBY to Participation. London: Geographers 35(1): 3958.
Earthscan. Pidgeon NF, Hood C, Jones D, et al. (1992) Risk per-
Dietz T and Stern PC (2008) Public Participation in ception. Risk Analysis, Perception and
Environmental Assessment and Decision-Making. Management: Report of a Royal Society Study
Washington, DC: National Academies Press. Group. London: Royal Society.
Dunlap RE (2008) The New Environmental Paradigm Pidgeon NF, Lorenzoni I, and Poortinga W (2008)
Scale: From marginality to worldwide use. Journal Climate change or nuclear powerNo thanks! A
of Environmental Education 40(1): 318. quantitative study of public perceptions and risk
Flynn J (2003) Nuclear stigma. In: Pidgeon N, framing in Britain. Global Environmental Change
Kasperson RE, and Slovic P (eds) The Social 18(1): 6985.
Amplification of Risk. Cambridge: Cambridge Ramana MV (2011) Nuclear power and the public.
University Press, 326354. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 67(4): 4351.
Friedman S (2011) Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Renn O, Webler T, and Wiedemann P (1995) Fairness
Fukushima: An analysis of traditional and new and Competence in Citizen Participation:
media coverage of nuclear accidents and radi- Evaluating Models for Environmental Discourse.
ation. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 67(5): 5565. Boston, MA: Kluwer Academic.
Pidgeon and Demski 51
Rosa EA and Dunlap RE (1994) Nuclear power: Three Risk Research Group (see www.understand-
decades of public opinion. Public Opinion ing-risk.org). His research looks at public
Quarterly 58(2): 295324. perception and acceptability, risk communi-
Slovic P, Fischhoff B, and Lichtenstein S (1980) Facts cation, and the governance of environmental
and fears: Understanding perceived risk.
and technological risks, including nuclear
In: Schwing R and Albers WA (eds) Societal Risk
Assessment. New York: Plenum, 181214. power, renewable energy, climate change,
Slovic P, Flynn J, and Layman M (1991) Perceived risk, and the emerging issues of nanotechnology
trust, and the politics of nuclear waste. Science and climate geoengineering. He is particularly
254(5038): 16031607. interested in how trust in risk regulation can
Sturgis P and Allum N (2004) Science in society: be built and in mechanisms for public
Re-evaluating the deficit model of public involvement in responsible innovation pro-
attitudes. Public Understanding of Science 13(1): cesses for controversial emerging technology
5574. and risk issues. He was a member of the
Upham P and Shackley S (2006) Stakeholder opinion Royal Society/Royal Academy of
of a proposed 21.5 MWe biomass gasifier in
Engineering nanotechnology study group in
Winkleigh, Devon: Implications for bioenergy
planning and policy. Journal of Environmental 2004 and is currently a science adviser to
Policy & Planning 8(1): 4566. both the UK Department of Energy and
Vajjhala SP and Fischbeck PS (2007) Quantifying Climate Change and the Department for
siting difficulty: A case study of US transmission Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He
line siting. Energy Policy 35(1): 650671. authored the chapter Risk Perception in the
Venables D, Pidgeon N, Henwood K, et al. (2009) 1992 UK Royal Society report Risk Analysis,
Living with nuclear power: A Q-method study of Perception and Management, and is co-editor
local community perceptions. Risk Analysis 29(8): with Roger Kasperson and Paul Slovic of The
10891104. Social Amplification of Risk (Cambridge
Warren CR and McFadyen M (2010) Does commu-
University Press, 2003) and with the late
nity ownership affect public attitudes to wind
energy? A case study from south-west Scotland. Barry Turner of the 2nd edition of Man Made
Land Use Policy 27(2): 204213. Disasters (Butterworth Heinemann, 1997).
Welsh I (2000) Mobilising Modernity: The Nuclear
Moment. London: Routledge. Christina C. Demski is a research associate in
Whitmarsh L, Upham P, Poortinga W, et al. (2011) the Understanding Risk Research Group in the
Public Attitudes, Understanding, and Engagement
psychology department at Cardiff University in
in relation to Low-Carbon Energy: A Selective
Review of Academic And Non-Academic Wales, United Kingdom. She has expertise in
Literatures. London: Research Councils UK. public acceptability and attitudes toward
Williams S (2011) 1,500 at Mid Wales wind farm pro- environmental and energy issues, such as cli-
test. Daily Post, June 30. Available at: http:// mate change, energy security, and renewable
www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-north-wales- energy. She recently completed her PhD,
news/welshpool-news/2011/06/30/1-500-at-mid- which focused on public perceptions of renew-
wales-wind-farm-protest-55578-28967125/. able energy technologies and examined the
Wynne B and Irwin A (1996) Misunderstanding conditional nature of support using both quali-
Science. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. tative and quantitative methods. She has par-
ticular expertise in survey methods and is
currently working on a project investigating
public values, attitudes, and acceptance of UK
Author biographies
energy-system transformations, including per-
Nick Pidgeon is professor of environmental ceptions of framings and trade-offs around
psychology at Cardiff University, where he energy futures.
directs the interdisciplinary Understanding
Copyright of Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is the property of Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and its
content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's
express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.