Rearticulating Nuclear Power: Energy Activism and Contested Common Sense

This essay utilizes the perspective of articulation theory to examine how environmental advocates, public interest organizations, and citizen-consumers have challenged the nuclear industry's expansion efforts, linking strategies at local and global levels. The industry has articulated a material and discursive formation including reactor construction projects, financial and political arrangements, and an overarching narrative of nuclear necessity and inevitability. Opponents have responded by linking organizations, individuals, histories, geographies, and expertise, re-articulating the place of nuclear power in the field of energy choices. This essay examines those opposing articulations in the context of efforts to construct new nuclear power plants in the southeastern USA. There, opponents have challenged state-level regulatory approval of a corporate merger that would facilitate new nuclear construction and financing arrangements that would shift economic risks from the corporation to consumers. These local engagements have broader consequences: in challenging one corporation's nuclear ambitions, opponents also challenge the global industry narrative of nuclear necessity and inevitability.     

Energy Communication: Theory and Praxis Towards a Sustainable Energy Future

This essay comments and expands upon an emerging area of research, energy communication, that shares with environmental communication the fraught commitment to simultaneously study communication as an ordinary yet potentially transformative practice, and a strategic endeavour to catalyse change. We begin by defining and situating energy communication within ongoing work on the discursive dimensions of energy extraction, production, distribution, and consumption. We then offer three generative directions for future research related to energy transitions as communicative processes: analysing campaigns’ strategic efforts, critically theorizing energy’s transnational power dynamics, and theorizing the energy democracy movement.     

Climate Services and Communication for Development: The Role of Early Career Researchers in Advancing the Debate

Climate services entail providing timely and tailored climate information to end-users in order to facilitate and improve decision-making processes. Climate services are instrumental in socio-economic development and benefit substantially from interdisciplinary collaborations, particularly when including Early Career Researchers (ECRs). This commentary critically discusses deliberations from an interdisciplinary workshop involving ECRs from the United Kingdom and South Africa in 2017, to discuss issues in climate adaptation and climate services development in water resources, food security and agriculture. Outcomes from the discussions revolved around key issues somewhat marginalized within the broader climate service discourse. This commentary discusses what constitutes “effective” communication, framings (user framings, mental models, narratives, co-production) and ethical dimensions in developing climate services that can best serve end-users. It also reflects on how ECRs can help tackle these important thematic areas and advance the discourse on climate services.     

Best Practices in Environmental Communication: A Case Study of Louisiana's Coastal Crisis

This mixed-method case study of environmental communication best practices in Louisiana, USA, identifies trends and approaches as informed by environmental psychology. The results provide key insights for environmental communicators, especially communicators in coastal regions. In-depth interviews with both environmental psychologists and environmental communicators showed that both groups emphasized knowing the audience, telling local stories, building relationships with target audiences and targeted messaging. Both psychologists and communicators also frequently mentioned general messaging concerns of source credibility, avoiding controversial terms and talking about issues, impacts and solutions to which the target audience can relate. A representative survey revealed that Louisiana residents are most interested in hearing about how environmental issues such as climate change, coastal land loss and flooding are affecting their own communities. This finding supports the idea that environmental communicators could do a better job tapping into strong place attachment and sense of community among coastal residents to promote action.     

Mountains and Handrails: Risk,Meaning, and Responsibility in Three National Parks

Where we live, the relationships we maintain, or the experiences we have can tell us about the way we perceive risk and the responsibility for its management. Perceptions of risk and responsibility are particularly relevant in US national parks, where unintentional injury is prevalent, yet support exists for allowing risk exposure. If experiencing risk may be both desirable (e.g., self-affirming) and undesirable (e.g., injury-causing), what is its role in a national park? Moreover, what are the expectations for visitors to encounter or to avoid it? In-depth interviews with National Park Service employees suggest that desired risk is contingent upon the circumstances in which it is encountered, and the values and prior experience of individuals. Employees perceive visitors as responsible for avoiding undesirable risk through information seeking and awareness, but also recognize considerable barriers to doing so. Theoretical and practical implications and avenues for future research are presented.     

Imagining Postscience: Heidegger and Development Communication

Modernization, the dominant contemporary model of development, has technoscientific rationality as its base. Alternatively, development can be understood as the ascent of individuals and communities toward their own conceptions of the good life. Such an understanding of development, it is argued, cannot be communicated under technoscientific assumptions. Instead, under the light of Heidegger's critique of technoscience and his philosophy of communication, a postscientific perspective is invoked for communicating development as good life, less violent to human communities and the environment, and less monolithic in design. Postscience evokes the multiplicity of ways in which we seek credibility for our projects in opposition to the monistic conception of truth and meaning in the technoscientific paradigm. Exploiting Heidegger's understanding of the world-disclosive power of language, development communication is understood as disclosing the genuine possibilities for the good life, concealed in a people's world, in an authentic act of engagement between the people and the communicator of development.     

中国农村可再生能源的发展现状分析

中国有9亿人民生活在农村地区,农村能源的利用直接影响我国经济社会的全面发展,本文首先介绍了我国的能源资源潜力及农村能源消费结构,指出现阶段正处于从传统能源消费结构向现代能源消费结构变迁的过程中。在分析我国各种可再生能源技术最新发展现状基础上,文中总结了可再生能源CDM碳交易项目的进展,最后分析了我国给与可再生能源发展的鼓励及相关保护政策并提出了了我国农村可再生能源发展的问题及建议。     

Examining the Impact of Expert Voices: Communicating the Scientific Consensus on Genetically-modified Organisms

Scholars are divided over whether communicating to the public the existence of scientific consensus on an issue influences public acceptance of the conclusions represented by that consensus. Here, we examine the influence of four messages on perception and acceptance of the scientific consensus on the safety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs): two messages supporting the idea that there is a consensus that GMOs are safe for human consumption and two questioning that such a consensus exists. We found that although participants concluded that the pro-consensus messages made stronger arguments and were likely to be more representative of the scientific community’s attitudes, those messages did not abate participants’ concern about GMOs. In fact, people’s pre-manipulation attitudes toward GMOs were the strongest predictor of of our outcome variables (i.e. perceived argument strength, post-message GMO concern, perception of what percent of scientists agree). Thus, the results of this study do not support the hypothesis that consensus messaging changes the public’s hearts and minds, and provide more support, instead, for the strong role of motivated reasoning.     

Sea-Level Rise Risk Communication: Public Understanding,Risk Perception,and Attitudes about Information

We present the results of a study using a document-based evaluation method to better understand how residents in vulnerable coastal areas respond to risk communications about sea-level rise (SLR) and to determine whether communications localized for specific populations improve reception. Similar to climate change communication, SLR risk communication presents challenges involving complex science, uncertainty, invisibility, and politicization. To be comprehensible and persuasive, risk messages must be appropriately framed and visually compelling and must take into account risk perceptions and diverse viewpoints. Our approach involves assessing people's encounters with actual risk messages to determine their reactions and responses. Participants in this study had difficulty understanding information and expressed attitudes including fear, fatalism, skepticism, and loss. SLR risks were also perceived as both temporally and spatially distant, creating a challenge for communicators trying to convey a sense of urgency. We conclude by considering the implications of audience-focused research for SLR risk communication.     

Reform,Justice, and Sovereignty: A Food Systems Agenda for Environmental Communication

Food ecologies and economies are vital to the survival of communities, non-human species, and our planet. While environmental communication scholars have legitimated food as a topic of inquiry, the entangled ecological, cultural, economic, racial, colonial, and alimentary relations that sustain food systems demand greater attention. In this essay, we review literature within and beyond environmental communication, charting the landscape of critical food work in our field. We then illustrate how environmental justice commitments can invigorate interdisciplinary food systems-focused communication scholarship articulating issues of, and critical responses to, injustice and inequity across the food chain. We stake an agenda for food systems communication by mapping three orientations—food system reform, justice, and sovereignty—that can assist in our critical engagements with and interventions into the food system. Ultimately, we entreat environmental communication scholars to attend to the bends, textures, and confluences of these orientations so that we may deepen our future food-related inquiries.     

中国农村清洁能源发展分析及建议

本文从我国农村地区发展清洁能源对于保护环境和促进农村社会经济可持续发展的现实意义入手,首先描述了当前阶段我国农村地区的能源消费结构和生产方式,分析了清洁能源在我国城市和农村地区发展不平衡的问题,进一步阐述了农村地区发展清洁能源在改变能源消费结构,合理利用能源,促进节能减排,改善农村生产生活条件,促进社会和谐发展等方面的重要性.随后介绍了现阶段我国农村清洁能源发展的基础设施和政策法规环境以及适合不同地区的清洁能源技术和发展情况.本文认为农村清洁能源可以分为三种主要发展模式,即自给自足的分散模式、可规模化生产的集中模式和与生态经济结合的循环模式,并从不同模式的表现形式、技术特点、地域特征、用能环境、基础设施、能源性质、发展阶段、投资规模、服务要求、创新侧重点等方面进行了比较分析.文章最后就当前农村地区清洁能源发展所面临的问题提出了有针对性的政策建议,并指出农村要基于当地当前生产生活条件,因地制宜地选取适合的清洁能源发展模式.     

Cultural Relevance for Rural Community Development in China: A Case Study in Bai,Jingpo and Huyaodai Communities of Yunnan Province

Abstract

A three-year study over the Bai, Jingpo and Huayaodai communities in Yunnan Province reveals that the community development is significantly influenced in various ways by such cultural factors as the concepts of development; concepts and traditions of inter-community relationships, consumption, marriage and gender; patterns of decision-making and production, resource and income allocation; as well as the role of information dissemination systems, religion and ritual. Based on the analysis over the interactive relevance between each factor and community development, some strategies and methods for dealing with such a cultural relevance in development projects are recommended.     

Cultural Relevance for Rural Community Development in China: A Case Study in Bai, Jingpo and Huyaodai Communities of Yunnan Province

A three-year study over the Bai, Jingpo and Huayaodai communities in Yunnan Province reveals that the community development is significantly influenced in various ways by such cultural factors as the concepts of development; concepts and traditions of inter-community relationships, consumption, mar- riage and gender; patterns of decision-making and production, resource and income allocation; as well as the role of information dissemination systems, religion and ritual. Based on the analysis over the interactive relevance between each factor and community development, some strategies and methods for dealing with such a cultural relevance in development projects are recommended.     

Energy and Sustainable Development at Global Environmental Summits: An Evolving Agenda

This paper presents a framework for understanding energy issues in the context of sustainable development. It posits that there are three important ways in which energy is related to sustainable development: (a) energy as a source of environmental stress, (b) energy as a principal motor of macroeconomic growth and (c) energy as a prerequisite for meeting basic human needs. These three dimensions correspond to the three dimensions of the often-used triangle of sustainable development: environmental, economic, and social. Using this framework, the paper traces how successive environmental summits at Stockholm (1972), Rio de Janeiro (1992) and Johannesburg (2002) have dealt with energy issues. It identifies a slow, surprising and important evolution of how energy issues have been treated at these global discussions. Energy has received increasing prominence at these meetings and become more firmly rooted in the framework of sustainable development. Stockholm was primarily concerned with the environmental dimension, Rio de Janeiro focused on both the environmental and economic dimensions, and the major headway made at Johannesburg was the meaningful addition of the social dimension and the linking of energy issues to the UN's Millennium Development Goals.     

江苏省能耗结构优化及其节能与减排效应分析

综合考虑江苏省经济增长、能源节约与C02、SO2减排的目标,运用改善的GADS优化算法对江苏省能耗结构进行优化,并对比江苏省低碳发展的情景,测算了江苏省能源消费结构优化的节能减排效应.研究结果表明:①能耗结构优化主要表现为高碳能源低度化,低碳能源离度化的演变过程.煤炭仍占主导地位,且呈倒"U",型的发展趋势,2020峰值1.822×108 tce,而天然气与低碳能源在总量与结构上均呈上升趋势;②能源结构优化具有正负双向效应,一方面节能减排效应显著,2020年将节能2.244×108tce,CO2:减排1.275×108t,但难以实现2020年减排目标,还需其它方面的努力.另一方面由干能源成本等因素造成GDP较之于低碳情景将减少2.096×1012元;③以"低"代"商"的能源优化策略是转移环境压力的主要途径,但其先决条件是煤炭资源的清洁高效利用与新能源核心技术的突破.未来江苏省能源消费结构的优化应以煤炭资源的清洁、高效利用为主,同时加快风能、太阳能、生物质能等新能源资源的产业化、规模化发展.     

中国能源可持续发展区域差异及其因素分析

该文在明晰中国能源可持续发展内涵的基础上,从能源足量、可持续、合理供给;能源与水、土地、森林等资源配套能力;国家可持续能源政策与地区规划的融合,减缓环境资源的损耗;环境可持续性四个目标出发,构建了区域能源可持续发展指标体系。从定量的角度刻画中国能源可持续发展的区域差异,解析影响中国能源可持续发展的主要因素。研究结果表明,可持续能源政策与环境的可持续性是制约能源可持续发展的关键环节;能源与森林、土地资源的配套能力是重要基础;能源供应能力是核心所在;从中国东、中、西部来看,西部地区是中国能源可持续性最强的地区,中部次之,东部能源可持续性最弱;从中国八大区域来看,能源可持续性沿海地区最弱,东北和长江中游地区次之,大西北、西南和黄河中游地区最强。本文作者最后认为多元化发展,提升能源供应能力;建立健全环境税收制度,增强环境可持续性;因地制宜,是促进中国区域能源可持续发展的必然选择。     

中国能源安全的路径选择与战略框架

能源是国民经济可持续发展的基础,可持续能源战略对保障国家能源安全具有重要意义,能源安全与能源战略日益成为当前国际社会和国家安全战略中备受关注的重大问题.本文从中国的现实状况出发,阐述了制定国家能源安全战略的重要性,提出了能源安全的选择路径,构建了全面性能源安全战略框架,为制定我国长期能源安全战略提供参考.论文认为:国家能源安全战略是能源可持续供给、社会经济健康发展、突发事件合理应对、生态环境安全的重要保障;中国能源安全的路径应从能源供给安全、能源生产和使用安全、能源运输安全、能源环境安全及能源安全预警机制等方面进行选择;健全能源管理体制、能源政策、能源市场、能源技术、能源战略储备、提高输送能力、能源环境与节能是能源安全战略框架的重要内容.并提出以下建议:建立国家能源安全综合协调机构;运用市场机制提高能源效率,促进能源利用多元化;加快替代能源和新能源的技术研发;加强能源资源的战略储备.     

Overcoming Endpoint Bias in Climate Change Communication: The Case of Arctic Sea Ice Trends

Unusually cold winters, a slowing in upward global temperatures, or an increase in Arctic sea ice extent are often falsely cast as here-and-now disconfirmation of the scientific consensus on climate change. Such conclusions are examples of “end point bias,” the well documented psychological tendency to interpret a recent short-term fluctuation as a reversal of a long-term trend. End point bias poses a challenge to those trying to communicate cross-decade climate warming trends. In this study, we demonstrate that exposure to misleading scientific information on FoxNews.com that evokes end point bias can affect the beliefs of liberals and moderates as well as conservatives. We also show that the leveraging-involving-visualizing-analogizing communication model can reduce the effects of endpoint bias among moderates and liberals at the same time as it dampens both the ideological and endpoint biasing of conservatives.     

The Role of Communication in Preparation for Wildland Fire: A Literature Review

Fire regimes are needed for healthy forest ecosystems, but citizens who live parallel to public forests do not always understand or favour the mechanisms land managers use for fire prevention and preparation. One way that land managers and citizens may share concerns and overcome barriers is through effective communication, allowing both parties to adequately prepare for a wildfire event. While collaboration between land managers and citizens has been well studied, the research on communication between citizens and among land managers is less prevalent yet equally important. The lack of research on communication between these parties creates an incomplete picture of the spectrum of communication that takes place in preparation for a wildland fire event. This paper reviews the current literature on communication between and among citizens and land managers before a wildfire event.     

可再生能源发展情景设计及评价研究

通过对当前主要的情景设计及评价方法的研究,认为目前我国可再生能源发展迅速,但初期的部分基本工作尚未完成.尤其是可再生能源的供给潜力及其经济可开发性评价.基于此,提出一种基于动态成本曲线的可再生能源发展战略情景仿真模型.动态成本曲线生成的基本原理是在静态成本曲线基础上,考虑技术进步、可再生能源外部价值对静态成本曲线的影响,从而生成不同时期的可再生能源成本曲线,进而构成可再生能源动态成本曲线.考虑不同种类可再生能源技术进步水平、外部环境价值的变化,设计不同的可再生能源发展情景.基于可再生能源动态成本曲线,并对不同的可再生能源发展情景下的投资成本、能源效益、经济效益和社会效益进行了综合评价.最后通过一个案例,分四种情景,即不考虑技术进步,低环境方案情景;不考虑技术进步,高环境方案情景;考虑技术进步,低环境方案情景;考虑技术进步,高环境方案情景;分别给出了四种情景下的装机总量、投资总额、创造就业、污染物和温室气体减排量.