The impact of local campaigns against wind energy developments

Abstract

Many scholars have emphasised community resistance to locally sited wind energy schemes in their explanations of wind power planning outcomes and deployment rates, while others have questioned the impact of local objectors. To illuminate ways in which local protestors attempt to influence decisions over the siting of wind turbines, and the efficacy of their efforts, we compare four cases of anti-windfarm protest in England. Local protestors employ community mobilisation and direct argumentation in attempting to influence local authority decisionmaking. At this level, mobilisation is effective, not only bringing political pressure to bear on elected decisionmakers, but also helping local groups to raise money to hire experts and professional advocates. At public inquiries protestors have some influence through the supporting role they play to more significant objectors, notably local authorities, but may also influence outcomes through informal contacts preceding public inquiries.

The politics of energy landscapes: the influence of local anti-wind initiatives on state policies in Saxony, Germany

“…The aim of the initiatives is to avoid or at least mitigate the negative impacts of the project by trying to influence those responsible for crucial decisions. Ogilvie and Rootes [13] as well as Marg et al [14] provide many examples of how such initiatives are organised along with their various forms of action.…”

“…Critically discussing the findings of Aitken et al [17] on protesters' lack of influence on decision-making, Ogilvie and Rootes [13] studied four cases of anti-wind farm protests in England in order to understand the various ways in which local protestors can affect the approval of planning applications. Two of the four protests were successful.…”

“…In particular, the campaigns exerted political pressure on locally elected decision-makers and raised money to hire experts in support of their cause. Ogilvie and Rootes [13] also highlight the relevance of informal contacts that precede public enquiries. Interestingly, Aitken et al [17] as well as Rydin, Lee and Lock [18] believe that national (or state) policies in favour of wind power are the reason for the relatively low influence (as they see it) of local protests against wind power developments.…”

Effects of Rank-Ordered Feature Perceptions of Energy Sources on the Choice of the Most Acceptable Power Plant for a Neighborhood: An Investigation Using a South Korean Nationwide Sample

“…While general or national acceptance-people's acceptance of the development and use of an energy source in the country-influences national-level policy regarding the energy system, local acceptance is a significant factor for the actual implementation of that system in the local site areas. Not only the implementation of a nuclear power system, which typically has been associated with great concerns regarding safety [4], but also that of alternative energy sources have often been met with public opposition at the site areas [5][6][7]. This resistance or lack of support from the local community can cause delays or even obstacles to the planning and implementation of the energy infrastructure [8,9].…”

The social identity approach to understanding stakeholder conflict in environmental and natural resources management

“…For example, the NTWFG coordinated with broader groups and networks promoting an anti-wind agenda and invited at least one speaker associated with this network to King Island (see, e.g., Ogilvie and Rootes 2015). Locally, heightened tensions and controversy followed the speakers' visits to King Island.…”