TY - JOUR

T1 - Internet-based public debate of CCS

T2 - Lessons from online focus groups in Poland and Spain

AU - Riesch, Hauke

AU - Oltra, Christian

AU - Lis, Aleksandra

AU - Upham, Paul

AU - Pol, Mariette

PY - 2013/5

Y1 - 2013/5

N2 - This paper makes three contributions to the developing literature on public opinion and understanding of CCS. The first is a discussion of online focus groups as a deliberative method in experimental and perhaps consultative contexts. The second is the role of anchoring and associative reasoning in the development of public opinion of CCS, illustrated through the coincidental timing of the investigation with the Fukushima nuclear accident. The third is a discussion of managing public-facing energy messaging in an age of public access to online information. Two multi-day, online focus groups or "dialogue boards" were held, one in Poland and one in Spain, with participants drawn from regions with active CCS development potential. The nature of the groups led to participants being subject to wider social influence through discussion of the topic off-line. They were also able to research and present evidence on the topic to the group, deepening debate and allowing the emergence of 'experts'. The study illustrates and affirms the importance of trust in message source, the difficulties of challenging pre-existing concerns and opinion and the challenge potentially posed by access to conflicting online information.

AB - This paper makes three contributions to the developing literature on public opinion and understanding of CCS. The first is a discussion of online focus groups as a deliberative method in experimental and perhaps consultative contexts. The second is the role of anchoring and associative reasoning in the development of public opinion of CCS, illustrated through the coincidental timing of the investigation with the Fukushima nuclear accident. The third is a discussion of managing public-facing energy messaging in an age of public access to online information. Two multi-day, online focus groups or "dialogue boards" were held, one in Poland and one in Spain, with participants drawn from regions with active CCS development potential. The nature of the groups led to participants being subject to wider social influence through discussion of the topic off-line. They were also able to research and present evidence on the topic to the group, deepening debate and allowing the emergence of 'experts'. The study illustrates and affirms the importance of trust in message source, the difficulties of challenging pre-existing concerns and opinion and the challenge potentially posed by access to conflicting online information.

KW - Sustainability sciences, Communication

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84875215911&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.enpol.2013.01.029

DO - 10.1016/j.enpol.2013.01.029

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:84875215911

VL - 56

SP - 693

EP - 702

JO - Energy Policy

JF - Energy Policy

SN - 0301-4215

ER -