Social and Community Acceptance
Building Trust and Fairness Into the System
Addressing the root causes of climate change requires a fair and thoughtful approach to community engagement
FEATURED RESEARCH
Why do Wind Energy Projects Fail?
The enduring effects of process and distributional unfairness
Electricity demand is expected to increase significantly in Canada and globally in the coming decades as we shift off fossil fuels to solve climate change. Growth in electricity demand will come largely from increased electrification of transportation, home heating and industrial processes. This shift is already underway with the sale of electric vehicles, announcement of federal and provincial funding of off-oil home heating programs, and industrial use of electricity to make steel and hydrogen.
Given electrification is one of the most important climate change solutions pathways, it is no surprise that the Conservation Council is a proponent of affordable and reliable renewable energy. Our desire for success, however, cannot come at the expense of people and the communities they live in.
This case study shares what we have learned about why two wind energy projects proposed for northern New Brunswick failed, and offers recommendations to increase the chances for community acceptance of renewable energy projects in the future.
Social Acceptance Surveys/Narratives
The factors affecting social acceptance of renewable energy and transmission projects (May 2022)
Available in English. 62 pages. This final report outlines our research into public perceptions of factors influencing social acceptance of renewable energy and transmission projects in communities, derived from seven focus groups in March 2022.
- Download Dr. Comeau’s Executive Summary: English | French
- Download Dr. Comeau’s presentation slides
- Watch Dr. Comeau’s full webinar presented on May 24
Green Resilience Project Community Summary Report (Feb 2022)
Available in English. 12 pages. This report summarizes the discussion and recommendations from the Conservation Council’s Green Resilience Community Conversation, a project which invited citizens to explore the connections between and solutions to climate change and income insecurity.
Survey Results: Public Understanding of Atlantic Electricity Issues (July 2021)
Available in English. 43 pages. This PowerPoint deck summarizes the findings of our Atlantic Canada-wide survey on the public’s understanding of electricity issues in our region, conducted in July 2021. You can read the survey questionnaire here: English | French
Conservation Council’s Letter to Minister Holland on Electricity Act Reform to achieve 80 per cent renewables by 2030
Available in English and French. Two pages. Our letter to Mike Holland, Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Development, outlining the steps New Brunswick needs to take to build a modern electricity system that is affordable, environmentally sustainable, and reliable.
