Nuclear Power Risk Perception in Serbia: Fear of Exposure to Radiation vs. Social Benefits

Vladimir Cvetković (), Adem Öcal, Yuliya Lyamzina, Eric K. Noji, Neda Nikolić and Goran Milošević
Additional contact information
Adem Öcal: Independent Researcher, Ankara 06500, Turkey
Yuliya Lyamzina: Louis Pasteur Center for Medical Research, Kyoto 606-8225, Japan
Eric K. Noji: College of Medicine, King Saud University Hospitals, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Neda Nikolić: Faculty of Tehnical Science in Čačak, University of Kragujevac, 32000 Čačak, Serbia
Goran Milošević: Faculty of Law, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-19

Abstract: Nuclear power remains one of the most accessible choices in addressing environmental and social concerns due to the continuously increasing energy needs around the world. While it remains an excellent source of energy due to its low price and low level of emissions, potential accidents remain a serious problem. An example of such is the most recent accident in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (2011), which reminded the world of the potential risks of nuclear energy and the consequences of which continue to have a lasting effect. There is no nuclear power plant in Serbia, but there are about 15 nuclear power stations scattered within its neighboring countries. Therefore, the Serbian Government decided to study how the Serbian public perceives the risks related to the potential construction of nuclear power stations in the country, nuclear energy in general, and its possible benefits and risks. The objective of this paper is to present the results of this assessment along with a literature overview on the (environmental) risk of nuclear power. A pilot study consisted of a series of 270 randomized face-to-face interviews that took place in the public square of Belgrade in March 2019. Logistic regression was used to examine the cumulative effects of the different risk factors. The results showed that the majority of the respondents are skeptical and do not support the construction of nuclear power stations in Serbia. Furthermore, this research identified several additional important correlations that have a significant impact on the public perception of risk.

Keywords: nuclear energy; nuclear power; risk perception; disaster; Serbia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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