The European Union needs to decarbonize its energy generation to reach its goals of climate change mitigation and energy security policies. In 2011, the European Commission published a road map to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) by at least 80% by 2050. The road map foresees five pathways, and, across all of them, renewable energy generation plays a significantly stronger role today. The deployment of renewable energy sources (RES)to generate electricity is one possible option to decarbonize energy generation. The goals of the European energy security policy require restructuring energy generation toward a greater share of lowcarbon energy generation. In October 2014, EU leaders agreed on the 2030 policy framework for climate and energy, which settles the GHG reduction target of 40% compared to 1990, as well as an increase of the share of renewable energy to at least 27% of EU energy consumption by 2030.
The European Union needs to decarbonize its energy generation to reach its goals of climate change mitigation and energy security policies. In 2011, the European Commission published a road map to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) by at least 80% by 2050. The road map foresees five pathways, and, across all of them, renewable energy generation plays a significantly stronger role today. The deployment of renewable energy sources (RES)to generate electricity is one possible option to decarbonize energy generation. The goals of the European energy security policy require restructuring energy generation toward a greater share of lowcarbon energy generation. In October 2014, EU leaders agreed on the 2030 policy framework for climate and energy, which settles the GHG reduction target of 40% compared to 1990, as well as an increase of the share of renewable energy to at least 27% of EU energy consumption by 2030.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in many tangible and intangible losses. To manage the risk of the pandemic and to mitigate its further spread, governments of many countries applied various pandemic risk mitigation measures. Media campaigns played a particularly large role during the pandemic, too. In addition, social media grew in importance because of the spread of technologies and as a result of the increased attention to information about COVID-19. Media information strongly influenced both the public perception of COVID-19 risk and decision-making processes and choices, which people made regarding risk reduction measures during the pandemic. Moreover, media information has had a major impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of various countries' risk management actions. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to investigate the influence of the Russian media on the population's perception of risk, and to address the question about which linguistic and psychological methods they used to shape different media discourses about the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, we analyzed media discourses as a part of the case study of COVID-19 risk management in the Russian Federation. The theoretical basis of the study includes mass communication theories. The methodological basis consists of linguo-cognitive analysis of empirical materials for specific political-philosophical, linguistic-publicistic, and sociopsychological functioning.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in many tangible and intangible losses. To manage the risk of the pandemic and to mitigate its further spread, governments of many countries applied various pandemic risk mitigation measures. Media campaigns played a particularly large role during the pandemic, too. In addition, social media grew in importance because of the spread of technologies and as a result of the increased attention to information about COVID-19. Media information strongly influenced both the public perception of COVID-19 risk and decision-making processes and choices, which people made regarding risk reduction measures during the pandemic. Moreover, media information has had a major impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of various countries' risk management actions. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to investigate the influence of the Russian media on the population's perception of risk, and to address the question about which linguistic and psychological methods they used to shape different media discourses about the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, we analyzed media discourses as a part of the case study of COVID-19 risk management in the Russian Federation. The theoretical basis of the study includes mass communication theories. The methodological basis consists of linguo-cognitive analysis of empirical materials for specific political-philosophical, linguistic-publicistic, and sociopsychological functioning.
Several infrastructure projects are under development or already operational across the Arctic region. Often the deployment of such projects creates benefits at the national, regional, or global scales. However, local communities can experience negative impacts due to the requirements for extensive land areas, which cause pressure on traditional land use. Public participation in environmental planning such as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) enables local communities to provide feedback on the environmental, social, and economic challenges of infrastructure projects. Ideally, participation can improve the means of social learning for all involved parties and help to co-develop sustainable solutions. The subject of our research is reindeer herders' participation in EIA procedures of mines and wind farms in Finland because these types of projects affect reindeer husbandry. We study empirically how stakeholders involved in the EIAs perceive the participation of reindeer herders in the planning and implementation of infrastructure projects, and how these differ from the perceptions of the reindeer herders who are affected by the infrastructure projects. Our qualitative data is based on in-depth semi-structured interviews (N=31) with members of the industry sector, consultants, governmental authorities, and representatives of local communities; in this study, the reindeer herders. The results show that herders' level of participation in the EIAs and the benefits and challenges of participation are perceived differently. Furthermore, the regulatory framework does not adequately ensure that the developer carries social and environmental responsibilities throughout the infrastructure project's lifecycle, and that regular communication with herders will also be maintained after the EIAs. Herders' expertise should be used throughout the project life cycle. For example, more attention should be paid to both negotiating possible options for compensation and monitoring mechanisms when the infrastructure projects are pre-screened for the EIAs, as well as to co-designing the different project alternatives with herders for the EIAs.
Several infrastructure projects are under development or already operational across the Arctic region. Often the deployment of such projects creates benefits at the national, regional, or global scales. However, local communities can experience negative impacts due to the requirements for extensive land areas, which cause pressure on traditional land use. Public participation in environmental planning such as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) enables local communities to provide feedback on the environmental, social, and economic challenges of infrastructure projects. Ideally, participation can improve the means of social learning for all involved parties and help to co-develop sustainable solutions. The subject of our research is reindeer herders' participation in EIA procedures of mines and wind farms in Finland because these types of projects affect reindeer husbandry. We study empirically how stakeholders involved in the EIAs perceive the participation of reindeer herders in the planning and implementation of infrastructure projects, and how these differ from the perceptions of the reindeer herders who are affected by the infrastructure projects. Our qualitative data is based on in-depth semi-structured interviews (N=31) with members of the industry sector, consultants, governmental authorities, and representatives of local communities; in this study, the reindeer herders. The results show that herders' level of participation in the EIAs and the benefits and challenges of participation are perceived differently. Furthermore, the regulatory framework does not adequately ensure that the developer carries social and environmental responsibilities throughout the infrastructure project's lifecycle, and that regular communication with herders will also be maintained after the EIAs. Herders' expertise should be used throughout the project life cycle. For example, more attention should be paid to both negotiating possible options for compensation and monitoring mechanisms when the infrastructure projects are pre-screened for the EIAs, as well as to co-designing the different project alternatives with herders for the EIAs.
Egypt is considering initiatives to deploy renewable energies, such as solar and wind; these would be financed through national and international public funds and private investment. Direct and induced impacts of investments could be significant drivers of socioeconomic development in Egypt, which currently has high level of poverty and unemployment plus volatile economic growth due to recent political upheaval. The initiatives would have two goals: i) export of electricity from renewable sources to Europe; and ii) generation of electricity to satisfy Egypt's growing energy need. We thus posed two research questions: i) what are possible effects of investment in concentrating solar power (CSP), at a scale that would attract national and international policy incentives; and ii) what are effects of investment in CSP compared with the effects of a) the business-as-usual scenario, b) the DESERTEC investment plan, which foresees a large share of electricity being exported to Europe, and c) the national energy targets, under which CSP will be deployed to satisfy local energy demand. Our method is Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) of Egypt and the Leontief Input-Output model. Our results show that even though impacts from investments foreseen by the DESERTEC scenario will be highest in terms of GDP, output will be higher in the case of the scenario aiming to secure local demand of electricity from CSP. However, under this scenario, the income multiplier impacts will be the lowest, compared with the DESERTEC and business-as-usual scenarios.
Egypt is considering initiatives to deploy renewable energies, such as solar and wind; these would be financed through national and international public funds and private investment. Direct and induced impacts of investments could be significant drivers of socioeconomic development in Egypt, which currently has high level of poverty and unemployment plus volatile economic growth due to recent political upheaval. The initiatives would have two goals: i) export of electricity from renewable sources to Europe; and ii) generation of electricity to satisfy Egypt's growing energy need. We thus posed two research questions: i) what are possible effects of investment in concentrating solar power (CSP), at a scale that would attract national and international policy incentives; and ii) what are effects of investment in CSP compared with the effects of a) the business-as-usual scenario, b) the DESERTEC investment plan, which foresees a large share of electricity being exported to Europe, and c) the national energy targets, under which CSP will be deployed to satisfy local energy demand. Our method is Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) of Egypt and the Leontief Input-Output model. Our results show that even though impacts from investments foreseen by the DESERTEC scenario will be highest in terms of GDP, output will be higher in the case of the scenario aiming to secure local demand of electricity from CSP. However, under this scenario, the income multiplier impacts will be the lowest, compared with the DESERTEC and business-as-usual scenarios.
Ambitious goals for climate change mitigation and energy security policies are driving deployment of renewable energy sources globally. However, the deployment of renewable energies at scale requires not only public but also private capital, such as foreign direct investment (FDI). Many countries with favourable conditions for renewables, such as the countries of the Middle East and North African (MENA) region, are not attracting sufficient FDI. Risk perceptions of FDI stakeholders are one of the reasons. This paper discusses the de-risking approach as a possible tool to address subjective risk perceptions and assesses with a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model macroeconomic feedback-effects of employing a de-risking strategy for FDI into a particular kind of renewable electricity (RES-E) technology, concentrated solar power, in the MENA region. Our results show that the application of a de-risking approach reduces the costs for deployment of CSP, and therefore, also volumes of subsidies that would be needed to make CSP cost competitive with fossil fuel based electricity generation. This, in turn, leads to positive GDP and welfare effects in the MENA region. Our results allow us developing of recommendations for energy policy the implementation of the de-risking approach as a potential consensual option with high political feasibility to reduce climate change mitigation costs.
Ambitious goals for climate change mitigation and energy security policies are driving deployment of renewable energy sources globally. However, the deployment of renewable energies at scale requires not only public but also private capital, such as foreign direct investment (FDI). Many countries with favourable conditions for renewables, such as the countries of the Middle East and North African (MENA) region, are not attracting sufficient FDI. Risk perceptions of FDI stakeholders are one of the reasons. This paper discusses the de-risking approach as a possible tool to address subjective risk perceptions and assesses with a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model macroeconomic feedback-effects of employing a de-risking strategy for FDI into a particular kind of renewable electricity (RES-E) technology, concentrated solar power, in the MENA region. Our results show that the application of a de-risking approach reduces the costs for deployment of CSP, and therefore, also volumes of subsidies that would be needed to make CSP cost competitive with fossil fuel based electricity generation. This, in turn, leads to positive GDP and welfare effects in the MENA region. Our results allow us developing of recommendations for energy policy the implementation of the de-risking approach as a potential consensual option with high political feasibility to reduce climate change mitigation costs.
Recent multi-hazard disasters, such as 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake and tsunami, 2011 Tohoku earthquake, tsunami and nuclear catastrophe and 2013 Super Typhoon Haiyan, showed the need for a multi-risk approach, which takes into consideration multiple risks and interdependencies between them. The first attempts to provide assessment of natural hazards based on multi-risk approach (MRA) exist in science. Also at the level of the European policy-making process, several strategic guidelines were developed to address multi-risk issues. However, MRA is more than assessment of risks for a given territory, it also includes the processes of knowledge transfer from science to policy and implementation of risk mitigation measures in frames of existing governance systems. The European Union is characterized by the multiple levels of governance and variety of risk governance systems, marked by different degree of centralization and decentralization of the decision-and policy-making processes. In this paper we present some results about the impacts of decentralization or centralization on implementation of MRA, with a focus on two case studies, Naples (Italy) and Guadeloupe (France). The methodology of research included several rounds of interactions with stakeholders from practice, such as interviews, workshops, and round table discussions. The results show that both governance systems have their own strengths and weaknesses. Elements of decentralized governance can favour creation of local multi-risk commissions and elements of centralized governance can lead to improvement of interagency communication and creation of inter-agency environment. However, both governance systems suffer from such deficiencies as lack of financial, technical, and institutional capacities at local level. Further research is needed to understand how implementation of MRA can be strengthened through multi-risk platforms. However, MRA cannot be a subsidiary to a single risk approach and both approaches have to be pursued.
Recent multi-hazard disasters, such as 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake and tsunami, 2011 Tohoku earthquake, tsunami and nuclear catastrophe and 2013 Super Typhoon Haiyan, showed the need for a multi-risk approach, which takes into consideration multiple risks and interdependencies between them. The first attempts to provide assessment of natural hazards based on multi-risk approach (MRA) exist in science. Also at the level of the European policy-making process, several strategic guidelines were developed to address multi-risk issues. However, MRA is more than assessment of risks for a given territory, it also includes the processes of knowledge transfer from science to policy and implementation of risk mitigation measures in frames of existing governance systems. The European Union is characterized by the multiple levels of governance and variety of risk governance systems, marked by different degree of centralization and decentralization of the decision-and policy-making processes. In this paper we present some results about the impacts of decentralization or centralization on implementation of MRA, with a focus on two case studies, Naples (Italy) and Guadeloupe (France). The methodology of research included several rounds of interactions with stakeholders from practice, such as interviews, workshops, and round table discussions. The results show that both governance systems have their own strengths and weaknesses. Elements of decentralized governance can favour creation of local multi-risk commissions and elements of centralized governance can lead to improvement of interagency communication and creation of inter-agency environment. However, both governance systems suffer from such deficiencies as lack of financial, technical, and institutional capacities at local level. Further research is needed to understand how implementation of MRA can be strengthened through multi-risk platforms. However, MRA cannot be a subsidiary to a single risk approach and both approaches have to be pursued.
Despite political drivers, available solar and wind potentials, and other driving factors, the share of renewable energy sources in Iran's energy mix remains small. Many factors are perceived as barriers to the use of renewable energy sources and therefore influence the willingness of private households in Iran to use this kind of energy. We argue that social media not only plays an increasingly important role in perceptions of various technologies but also influences people's intentions. Therefore, our aim in this study is to understand whether and how social media influences people's intentions to use renewable energy sources. The research sample includes users of Instagram who are interested in and following information being posted on renewable energy sources. The methodology includes the use of a modified version of the extended parallel process model that includes attitude, intention, and trust in social media. The results of structural equation modeling show that the perceived risk of climate change significantly affects respondents' intention to use renewable energies. Also, perceived self-efficacy has a significant impact on attitude, intention, and use of renewable energy. Government agencies can increase the likelihood that household energy consumers will use renewable energy by using trusted channels to deliver necessary messages about the harms of using traditional energy and the low cost and ease of using renewable energy.
The goals of climate change mitigation or energy security policies might lead to societal transformations due to large-scale deployment of new technologies or changes in relations about generation, distribution and transmission of electricity. The goals are frequently developed at the national governance levels; however, their implementation takes place at the local governance level. The process of energy transition gives crucial importance to the participation of local communities and their positive attitudes. Such a process should include measures for active engagement of inhabitants and local government while providing a chance to participate in decision-making processes that affect the lives of these people. Currently, participatory governance of energy transition takes place mainly within the discussion about details of the projects and criteria for selection of possible alternatives. It does not include discussion about the need for energy transition or preferences for technologies for decarbonization of the electricity sector. This study investigated social factors linked to the transition of the Austrian energy sector towards a higher share of renewable energy sources. The empirical data show factors which influence the level of awareness about climate change mitigation and energy transition as well as differences in patterns of support for renewable energy sources from various social groups.
The goals of climate change mitigation or energy security policies might lead to societal transformations due to large-scale deployment of new technologies or changes in relations about generation, distribution and transmission of electricity. The goals are frequently developed at the national governance levels; however, their implementation takes place at the local governance level. The process of energy transition gives crucial importance to the participation of local communities and their positive attitudes. Such a process should include measures for active engagement of inhabitants and local government while providing a chance to participate in decision-making processes that affect the lives of these people. Currently, participatory governance of energy transition takes place mainly within the discussion about details of the projects and criteria for selection of possible alternatives. It does not include discussion about the need for energy transition or preferences for technologies for decarbonization of the electricity sector. This study investigated social factors linked to the transition of the Austrian energy sector towards a higher share of renewable energy sources. The empirical data show factors which influence the level of awareness about climate change mitigation and energy transition as well as differences in patterns of support for renewable energy sources from various social groups.
