Affecting Factors and Aspects for Improving Customized Nuclear Public Acceptance Strategies

Abstract

Nowadays, the issues of climate change is moved from margins to the mainstream. The vital role of nuclear energy in the global fight against climate change has been significantly highlighted by IAEA at COP26 last year. As a low carbon base-load electricity provider, nuclear power can become progressively an important option of countries for achieving its sustainable development goals. Comparing with traditional energy supply, nuclear power projects are characterized by complex technology, long construction period, large capital demand and high sensitivity. Currently, the international nuclear power demand market is mainly concentrated in the emerging countries, most of which have a poor industrial infrastructure, “not in my backyard” phenomenon is prominent, which is seriously interrupting the government's energy development decision. The current world nuclear power market can be generally divided into two categories, i.e. the market in developed countries (Category I), where the demand for energy has become saturated and the demand for nuclear power mainly comes from the extension of old units and the replenishment of units decommissioning. These countries have developed nuclear power for tackling climate change, and most of them are beneficiaries of nuclear power, with relatively sound nuclear industrial system, high public support and strong public awareness. Such markets attach great importance to the low-carbon energy sources with relatively stable demand for electricity. They pay more attention to the privileges of nuclear energy compared with intermittent renewable energy as well as its shortcomings and solutions. The other major market for nuclear power in the world is emerging economies and developing countries (Category II) that actively seek energy transition. These countries generally attach great importance to the strategic significance of nuclear energy and fully realize the opportunities that nuclear energy brings to national economic development, industrialization and employment. In addition to the countries who developed nuclear science and technology, most of these markets are newcomer countries, whose systemic experience is insufficient. This paper takes number of typical countries as examples to analyze the issues affecting public acceptance in different markets. Through the analysis of the external environment of different markets and the influencing factors of public awareness, it can be seen that although these countries are at different stages of nuclear energy development, factors affecting public acceptance have common characteristics. i.e. nuclear energy or intermittent renewable energy, institutional guarantee, nuclear safety and information transparency. Then, this paper puts forward suggestions from the aspects of energy transition cognition, nuclear regulation, technology management and public communication, further to provide reference for improving public acceptance.