Low-carbon Energy Controversies

Governments, big business and communities are coming under increased pressure to develop low carbon energy supply technologies. Within the context of the climate change debate a delicate balance has to be reached between 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.

Thomas Roberts is a Research Associate at The Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent. He is also a Visiting Research Fellow at Tyndall Manchester.

Paul Upham is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Integrated Energy Research and Sustainability Research Institute, University of Leeds. He is also Visiting Professor in Governance of Energy Systems and Climate Change at the Finnish Environment Institute, Helsinki and an affiliate of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research.

Sarah Mander is a Research Fellow with Tyndall Manchester at the University of Manchester, and co-leader of the People and Governance theme within the national Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research.

Carly McLachlan is a Lecturer in Climate Change and Project Management at the University of Manchester. She is the Associate Director of Tyndall Manchester and a Sustainable Consumption Institute Research Fellow.

Philip Boucher is a Research Fellow at the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research where he is pursuing his interests in theoretical and methodological frameworks to support the analysis of controversial low-carbon energy technologies.

Clair Gough is a Research Fellow with Tyndall Manchester at the University of Manchester, where she contributes to the Energy research theme.

Dana Abi Ghanem is a Research Fellow at Tyndall Manchester and the Sustainable Consumption Institute. She is working on the social process of technology adoption, particularly active demand-side management technologies in households.