Citizen Acceptance of New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure: Value Theory and Canada’s Northern Gateway Pipeline

Proposals to build large-scale energy infrastructure often generate controversy among citizens. Many studies have looked at citizen acceptance of renewable energy projects, but less address the acceptance of new fossil fuel infrastructure projects. This study explores the case of Canada’s proposed Northern Gateway Pipeline (NGP), which would transport unconventional oil (bitumen) 1,172 km from Alberta’s oil sands to British Columbia’s (BC) northern coast for export. The NGP has received extensive media coverage in the two most affected provinces (Alberta and BC). The author implemented a web-based survey (n = 2,628) in 2013 to collect data on consumer acceptance, values and beliefs related to two common frames of the NGP: economic benefits and environmental risks. The author draws from value theory to explain variations in acceptance within and between the two regions, constructing value-based clusters of respondents based on survey data. NGP acceptance varies considerably among clusters in each region; the highest acceptance is among citizens with strong traditional (conservative) values; acceptance is slightly lower among those with “mixed” values; and acceptance is lowest among citizens with strong biospheric-altruistic values. Respondents’ acceptance and beliefs correspond with frames that resonate with respondents’ core values—suggesting that values shape citizens’ belief formation. Contextual or regional effects are also substantial; NGP acceptance is higher in every one of Alberta’s value-based clusters relative to BC. Differences in media and stakeholder framing between the regions may help to explain why citizens with the same core values hold different perceptions of the NGP.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADC70 Transportation Energy.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Axsen, Jonn
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC
  • Date: 2014-1-12 to 2014-1-16
• Date: 2014

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 20p
• Monograph Title: TRB 93rd Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acceptance; Economic benefits; Fossil fuels; Infrastructure; Pipelines; Public participation; Renewable energy sources
• Geographic Terms: Alberta (Canada); British Columbia
• Subject Areas: Energy; Pipelines; Planning and Forecasting; I20: Design and Planning of Transport Infrastructure; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01515106
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 14-2270
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 21 2014 3:16PM