Science, Technology and Society Priority Group

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Case study Understanding carbon capture

Public perception and the introduction of CCS technology

Professor Brigitte Nerlich

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How does the public perceive CCS globally or locally and in the context of other climate change mitigation technologies?

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is anticipated to play an integral role in reducing carbon emissions from electric power generation in a number of countries, including the UK. There has been substantial investment in the technology by governments and industry worldwide. However, despite a growing awareness of the threats posed by climate change, CCS remains a relatively unknown and poorly understood technology among members of the public. This is problematic, as experience from previous failed technology transfer efforts (e.g. GM food) suggest that public acceptance of CCS will be integral to its successful deployment. What constitutes well-timed, well-placed and appropriate communication around CCS is, as yet, unclear.

Setting out a research agenda to understand these factors and the impact they have on public perception is vital to the success of CCS.

  

“Although there is previous research into public engagement with and public perception of CCS, little is known about social, psychological, linguistic and geographic factors impacting on these processes," says Professor Brigitte Nerlich.

 

Highlights

Collaboration between members of the STS Priority Group and the Nottingham Centre for Carbon Capture and Storage started in 2010 and has resulted in the following:

  • A workshop held in late spring 2012, funded by a University of Nottingham Hermes Fellowship, brought together industry, NGO and government representatives, and academics to discuss the key social issues surrounding the development and deployment of CCS projects in the UK. The workshop was co-organised between colleagues from the University of Nottingham and the University of Sheffield, including Professor Brigitte Nerlich and Dr Christopher Jones.
  • A joint PhD studentship, funded by the NCCCS and the British Geological Survey, entitled  ‘Carbon capture and storage: Factors influencing public attitudes’. (Student: Andrey Barsky. Supervisors: Professors David Clarke, Brigitte Nerlich, Mercedes Maroto-Valer and Dr Nick Riley.) The aim of this project is to study public perception of and attitudes to CCS, and to assess how opinions would respond to key variables such as price, delay, and effectiveness, as well as to key words or phrases used in the process of CCS development and implementation. To gain insight into how these and other factors may impact on public attitudes, various psychological research techniques will be applied, including ‘vignette’ experiments and sequence analysis methods.

 

 

Expertise

  • David Clarke (Professor of Psychology, University of Nottingham) is an expert in sequence analysis, the study of patterns of events and/or actions
  • Brigitte Nerlich (Professor of Science, Language and Society, University of Nottingham) studies social and cultural issues related to emerging technologies, with a particular focus on the influence of language
  • Mercedes Maroto-Valer (Professor of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University) is an expert in CCS
  • Dr Nick Riley (British Geological Survey) is an expert in geo-energy and science policy

Impact

Although public perception of CCS is a growing field, most research uses focus groups and interviews to gain insights into public attitudes. The research carried out at the University of Nottingham is the first to use psychological methods rooted in quantitative vignette studies and sequence analysis.

The reaction from stakeholders at the workshop was very positive, as this type of research sheds new light on public attitudes and how they are formed.

Scale of research

This research is of a relatively small scale, but extremely innovative.

Funding

Funding has been received from the British Geological Survey for a PhD studentship dealing with public perceptions of CCS.

Funding has also been received from the University’s Hermes Fund to organise workshop on public perceptions of CCS

 

Contact

Professor Brigitte Nerlich
 
 
 
 

Science, Technology and Society Priority Group

Law and Social Sciences Building
University Park
Nottingham, NG7 2RD

email: andrew.gibson@nottingham.ac.uk