Top-down energy transition sees 'too little engagement with communities'

When it comes to energy and climate infrastructure, community engagement must become a core aspect of planning and development, said the UCC researchers.

The so-called "energy transition" has so far been led in a top-down manner with too little engagement with communities, according to an in-depth University College Cork (UCC) research paper.

Ireland's population distribution in rural areas has made it more difficult to introduce climate-related infrastructure compared to other nations, the paper also found.

"The unsustainable nature of Ireland's dispersed rural settlement pattern means that the likelihood of infrastructural developments impacting upon someone's residence is higher than in countries with more concentrated development patterns," it said.

Telling people what to do rather than asking what they need is leading to resistance to change, with policymakers putting too little emphasis on getting communities onboard towards climate change action and participation, the paper found.

Authors Evan Boyle, Martin Galvin, Alexandra Revez, Aoife Deane, Brian Ó Gallachoir, and Gerard Mullally concluded that community engagement must become a core aspect of planning and development when it comes to energy and climate infrastructure.

They found that community engagement builds better relationships and helps to bridge the disconnect between communities, industry, and government bodies, while early engagement leads to communities understanding the rationale behind the project and key local issues being understood by those undertaking it.

Currently, within most institutions and public bodies, community engagement is seen as less important when compared to financial, actuarial, or environmental risks, they said.

"Organisations tasked with managing infrastructure developments need to act as leaders across a range of critical factors such as engineering, project management, and community engagement," the paper said.

Good practice consists of the likes of "pulse checks" as the project moves forward, the authors said.

"Reasons for moving from one step to another throughout the consultative process must be justified and understood within the community," they wrote.

Organisations should show where community feedback has been added to the project, the authors added.

When looking towards community engagement, it is important to engage the likes of local community organisations, sports clubs, or volunteer-based religious groups, the paper said.

"This can be a first step, but further engagement with the 'unengaged' is often necessary. 

On from this, it is important to ask a community what they need rather than tell them what to do. 

"Through nurturing community development, locally viable and satisfactory solutions can emerge.

"It can prove useful to capitalise on how the community sees itself — their sense of identity and pride of place."

Assistance must be provided to implement change, rather than just relying on volunteers, the paper added.

"Local people must be supported, through state agency resources, to take action. Working with key community leaders can often act as a bridge to the wider community."

When it comes to major infrastructural projects, the public should be included in the planning process using carefully worded communications, and developments should be spearheaded by organisations that are most highly trusted by the public, it said.

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