Abstract
An exploratory mixed methods study was conducted to investigate potential differences in the pro-environmental values and beliefs of people from the UK Christian, Muslim and secular (non-religious) communities. The study explored how religion might shape perspectives on themes within the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale, including the relationship between humans and the environment (Dunlap, Kent, Mertig, & Jones, 2000). This study also explored how religious beliefs and values might influence perspectives on: (a) climate change; and (b) the acceptability of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies.Muslim and Christian participants' opinions about climate change and CCS technologies were shaped by the importance of environmental stewardship and intergenerational justice. Both groups had relatively low perceptions of urgency for environmental issues, particularly climate change, due to beliefs in an afterlife and divine intervention. Acceptance of CCS for Muslim participants was considered problematic due to teachings on stewardship, harmony values and the intrinsic value of nature. CCS was considered less problematic for Christian participants, who demonstrated anthropocentric values and evaluated environmental issues and technological solutions in relation to the extent to which they supported human welfare. Secular participants expressed anxiety in relation to environmental issues, especially climate change. Lack of belief in an afterlife or divine intervention led secular participants to focus on human responsibility and the need for action, bolstering the perceived necessity of a range of technologies including CCS.
Highlights
IntroductionElectricity generation is a prominent source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions – a status that has prompted efforts to decarbonise this sector [2]
This is being achieved in a number of ways, one of which is the development of technologies, such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), to reduce emissions from fossil-fuel burning plants and other carbon-intensive industries
Religious beliefs shaped concepts about the relationship between humans and the environment, with Muslim and Christian participants referring to divine creation and the God given responsibility of stewardship, while secular participants spoke about evolution and human responsibility to self-regulate and co-exist with other species
Summary
Electricity generation is a prominent source of GHG emissions – a status that has prompted efforts to decarbonise this sector [2]. This is being achieved in a number of ways, one of which is the development of technologies, such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), to reduce emissions from fossil-fuel burning plants and other carbon-intensive industries (e.g., steel manufacture). The UK government sees CCS as one of the most cost effective ways to achieve the decarbonisation of the UK’s power sector and has demonstrated its commitment to CCS commercialisation by investing over £2bn in CCS research and development to date [3,4]
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