The role of environmental values and political ideology on public support for renewable energy policy in Ottawa, Canada

Elsie N. Fobissie

Energy Policy, 2019, vol. 134, issue C

Abstract: The Ontario provincial government faces the challenge of getting public support in the implementation of its renewable energy (RE) policy. This paper therefore aims at investigating the effects of environmental values and political ideology on public support for renewable energy policy in Ottawa, Canada. Data was collected through open-ended interviews with 50 respondents in and around Ottawa, transcribed, coded and analysed using the NVivo software. Results indicate that environmental values and political ideology affect public support for renewable energy policy, but economic factors also play a role. There were 2 groups of people who felt neglected – those left out of the decision-making process and those who felt that they were excluded from the profits of RE projects in their areas of residence. Moving forward, the provincial government can think of ways to reduce the cost of electricity, invest on education and create awareness on the benefits of renewable energy and the different initiatives offered by the RE policy to increase public support. Public ownership of RE projects and more democratic policy-making could also increase public support.

Keywords: Environmental values; Political ideology; Public support; Renewable energy policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:enepol:v:134:y:2019:i:c:s0301421519305026

DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.110918

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