Carly McLachlan

Technologies in place: symbolic interpretations of renewable energy

This chapter considers stakeholder (including the public) responses to two specific energy technologies in two particular places – the Wave Hub, Cornwall, UK and Eccleshall Biomass, Staffordshire, UK. The focus is on the role of different interpretations of place and technology in shaping the responses that stakeholders had to these developments. Investigation of a bioenergy and a wave energy development allows comparison of terrestrial and marine issues and widens the dominant focus upon wind in studies of the social acceptability of renewable energy. It is argued that stakeholder responses to renewable energy developments are, in part, related to interpretations of what the technology and the location or ‘place’ are seen to represent or symbolize. Symbolism refers to more abstract meanings that stakeholders associate with the physical developments themselves. In particular, the interest is in the multiple and potentially conflicting symbolic interpretations of both place and the technology, and how these can explain why the development does or does not ‘fit’ in a particular location for different stakeholders. Previous work on renewable energy siting controversy has identified that opposition to particular renewable energy developments may be a substantial barrier to meeting renewable energy targets (Wüstenhagen et al., 2007). Although some authors have developed theoretical frameworks (eg Bell et al., 2005), much of the work on renewable energy siting controversy has tended to focus on description rather than explanation (Devine-Wright, 2005). Notions of NIMBYism (Not In My Back Yard) have been commonplace in both applied and academic contexts and are used as a way of discrediting objectors (Burningham, 2000). Calls for more information provision and more ‘rationality’ (eg Upreti, 2004) or describing objectors as NIMBYs (with the accusations of selfishness

Importance of non-CO2 emissions in carbon management

Background: GHG budgets highlight a need for urgency, yet analyses are often CO2-focused, with less attention paid to non-CO2. Results: In this paper, scenarios are used to explore non-CO2 drivers and barriers to their mitigation, drawing out implications for CO2 management. Results suggest that even optimistic technological and consumption-related developments lead to on-going increases in global N2O, largely to improve food security within a changing climate. This contrasts with existing analysis, where lower levels of N2O by 2050 are projected. Conclusions: As avoiding ‘2ｰC’ limits the emissions budget, constraints on reducing non-CO2 add pressure to energy system decarbonization. Overlooking how a changing climate and rising consumption restricts efforts to curb non-CO2 will result in policies aiming to avoid 2ｰC falling short of the mark.

Radical emission reductions: the role of demand reductions in accelerating full decarbonization

The fifth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) demonstrated the unambiguous link between the rise in global mean surface temperature and anthropogenic emissions...

Consumer responses to a future UK food system

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe research exploring consumer responses to potential changes in food-related practices to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Design/methodology/approach – Six focus groups explored consumer responses to measures to intended to mitigate the emissions from, and adapt to the impacts of climate change. These included: meat reduction, greater reliance on seasonal British food, meal replacement tablets, laboratory grown meat, communal eating houses, genetically modified food and food waste. Practice theory provided the lens to interpret the changes to meanings, competences and materials associated with food consumption. Findings – Changes that could be assimilated within existing competencies were viewed more positively, with lack of competence a key barrier to accommodating change. At present, climate change and sustainability do not influence purchasing decisions. Policy measures delivering multiple benefits (“win-wins”), of which environmental performance m...

Engaging stakeholders in research to address water-energy-food (WEF) nexus challenges

The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus has become a popular, and potentially powerful, frame through which to analyse interactions and interdependencies between these three systems. Though the case for transdisciplinary research in this space has been made, the extent of stakeholder engagement in research remains limited with stakeholders most commonly incorporated in research as end-users. Yet, stakeholders interact with nexus issues in a variety of ways, consequently there is much that collaboration might offer to develop nexus research and enhance its application. This paper outlines four aspects of nexus research and considers the value and potential challenges for transdisciplinary research in each. We focus on assessing and visualising nexus systems; understanding governance and capacity building; the importance of scale; and the implications of future change. The paper then proceeds to describe a novel mixed-method study that deeply integrates stakeholder knowledge with insights from multiple disciplines. We argue that mixed-method research designs—in this case orientated around a number of cases studies—are best suited to understanding and addressing real-world nexus challenges, with their inevitable complex, non-linear system characteristics. Moreover, integrating multiple forms of knowledge in the manner described in this paper enables research to assess the potential for, and processes of, scaling-up innovations in the nexus space, to contribute insights to policy and decision making.

New Energy Technologies in the Media: a Case Study of Carbon Capture and Storage

The deployment of low-carbon energy supply technologies worldwide has sparked a debate about how to balance local environmental protection and our need for reliable low carbon energy. This books brings together ten years of research conducted by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and uses a range of case studies from carbon capture and storage to on-shore wind farms to explore the complex nature of disputes between a wide variety of stakeholder groups. Topics covered include: •the importance of context •the relationship between risk and trust •sense of place •role of the media An invaluable resource for researchers and readers in local or national government, industry or community groups who wish to deepen their understanding of controversy around low carbon technology and how to overcome it.