Carbon capture and storage (CCS) experts’ attitudes to and experience with public engagement

Dimitrios Xenias, Lorraine Whitmarsh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is widely seen as a key technology for mitigating climate change. Public engagement with CCS is important for a range of reasons, but previous work has not explored the perceived rationales for, or benefits of, public engagement amongst CCS experts (including those who engage the public themselves). Here, we present mixed-methods research (comprising expert interviews and an online survey) to elucidate these rationales, and expose CCS expert views of public engagement. Our findings indicate some differences in perceptions of public engagement with CCS (and of the risks and benefits of CCS) between those who engage directly with the public and those who do not: the former tend to have a more nuanced view of engagement, and are also more enthusiastic about the benefits of CCS, than the latter. Overall, CCS experts recognise the importance of public engagement for the roll-out of CCS for both substantive and instrumental rationales, and are largely aware of the range of factors (knowledge, values, trust, etc.) influencing public engagement. Nevertheless, the relatively low salience of early and substantive engagement amongst CCS experts suggests there is room for improving the flow of learning from the public engagement research literature to those charged with delivering it.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)103-116
Number of pages14
JournalInternational Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control
Volume78
Early online date17 Aug 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Nov 2018

Funding

Potential CCS experts from across Europe suitable for interviewing – i.e. with past and present involvement with CCS, as researchers, practitioners or consultants- were identified through Internet searches and recommendations from colleagues, as well as ‘snowballing’ (i.e., asking interviewees to suggest further participants). This combination of recruitment methods resulted in 39 participants being directly contacted between October 2015 and February 2016; 13 were selected for interview to ensure a range of backgrounds ( ) and countries. Nine interviewees were based in the UK, while of the remaining four, one was based in Norway, and three in the Netherlands. The mainly UK focus was chosen due to the project requirements (funded by the UK EPSRC and with a UK focus for the natural science elements of the project). Fig. 1 2 The authors would like to thank Dr. Katherine Daniels and Dr. Jon Harrington for their comments on an earlier version of this manuscript. We also thank two anonymous reviewers for their detailed comments and suggestions. This paper was supported through project CONTAIN (grant reference EP/K036025/1 ) funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) in the UK .

Keywords

  • Carbon capture and storage
  • Expert perceptions
  • Mixed-methods
  • Public engagement

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pollution
  • General Energy
  • Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
  • Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

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