Ocean Place, Ocean Space: the human

science side of the ocean off the coast of Oregon

Flaxen ConwayMarine Resource Management

Oregon Sea Grant / School of Public Policy

College of Oceanic & Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University http://www.coas.oregonstate.edu

What types or kinds of science do you think I am referring to when I use the words “human science”?

This course = “Exploring the Deep”– Biological science aspects of the ocean– Physical science aspects of the ocean

You folks are not ocean scientists.Neither am I.I am a social scientist and I am interested in the

“human science” side of the ocean off of the coast of Oregon.

Working out the technical kinks is critical.

Having the best available data and management practices about the environmental dimension is vital.

However, permitting processes rarely fail on technical or scientific grounds. Rather, because of a failure to pay attention to the human dimension.

Decision makers need an understanding of how people experience and relate to the ocean.

The emerging wave energy industry has the opportunity to be developed in a socially responsible manner.

What does “developed in a socially responsible” manner mean?

What are the steps it should take to assure this?

Who needs to be involved to assure this?

• Public’s knowledge and values and their opinions re: wave energy.

• Link between knowledge/understanding and acceptance or lack of support re: wave energy.

• Wave energy information sources.

• Wave energy and community well being.

Our research program studied…

Six research projects in four thematic areas:

1. Socioeconomic and Sociopolitical Influences on Permitting and Planning

2. Comparison of Wave Energy to other forms of Electricity Generation

3. BMP for Permitting and Management

4. Perceptions of and Effects on Communities of Place and Interest

• Inform research, decision makers, developers, stakeholders, and the public

• Design research and policy processes to meet citizen / community concerns and maximize policy input

• Create effective public education and engagement efforts.

Why is studying the human dimension important?

Governance

Socioeconomic and Sociopolitical Influences

Sustainability and Acceptability

Outreach and Engagement: putting perceptions and perspectives to work

Lessons Learned re:

• Sound planning is critical.

• Testing projects was the greatest area of support and agreement among stakeholders and policy actors.

• Demonstrations projects provide an opportunity to obtain scientific information upon which more fully informed decisions can be made.

Governance

• Greater capital flow – private and government – is the thing that can aid deployment.

• Investments should advance the greater body of science about wave energy.

• Environmental data should remain public.

• Regional differences in attitudes and familiarity with wave energy exists; coastal residents hold more defined and intense opinions.

• Positive attitudes, yet not enough info to form an opinion.

• Those “very familiar” get info from universities, ODE, utilities, local leaders, and the internet.

Socioeconomic and Sociopolitical InfluencesPublic Perceptions

• Ally networks exist within government; and b/t conservation and scientists, and local government and ocean users.

• Opponent networks exist b/t ocean users and the energy industry, technical experts, federal and state government.

• Interest groups are in different stages of understanding and action.

Socioeconomic and Sociopolitical InfluencesCommunities of Interest

• Primary source of information were the energy industry, utilities, and scientists/engineers.

• Most trusted source of information were scientists/engineers, energy industry, and local government.

• Least trusted source of information were energy industry, scientists/engineers, and the media.

• Perceptions not based on demographic group or place.

• Threats/opportunities were shaped as much by imaginations as by empirical evidence.

• Misconceptions fueled by mutual distrust.

• Community well-being is important and it remains to be seen how it will be impacted.

Socioeconomic and Sociopolitical InfluencesCommunities of Place

Sustainability and Acceptability

SUSTAINABILITY SCORES

Types of Types of Sustainability

Energy Environmental Economic Social OVERALL

Geothermal 8 7 8 23

Solar 9 1 9 19

Hydro 5 6 6 17

Wind 7 3 5 15

Wave 6 2 7 15

LNG 3 9 2 14

Petroleum 2 8 3 13

Biomass 4 4 4 12

Nuclear 1 5 1 7

Geothermal – Considered promising; acceptability depends on how the development managed locally.

Hydro – Surface water needs, aging infrastructures and public’s knowledge determine the acceptability.

Biomass – Can enhance economy; environmental pros and cons need to be considered; social acceptance is not certain.

Sustainability and Acceptability

Wind – Transmission capacity b/t east and west and costs affect the acceptability.

Solar – Abundance of resources/systems; economic questions.

Wave – Tremendous resources; large transmission capacity; more environmental research needed locally; more economic incentives needed; advance public knowledge.

LNG – Receives environmental opposition; not as economically feasible as regular NG; concerns about environmental impacts.

Overall lesson learned from this human science research program are…

…and how do you put them to work?

Coastal communities of place and of interest are:

• Interested• willing to accept some

change, but• they feel the Oregon

coast is worth slowing the wave energy process down so that they can work with others to reach a desired, mutually-beneficial future.

• Public meetings are important BUT few utilized them to gain new info or learn about wave energy.

• Focus outreach efforts on local newspapers/media.

• Avoid pre-determined locations and commercial scale projects.

• Use local and state government as political mediators.

So if you want to reach and engage community members…

• Foster cooperation.• Design the outreach and

engagement process.

• Engage early and often.

• Expect challenges and successes. Use both to create

progress in

– Systems for working together

– Listen, listen, listen…then speak

– Create a myriad of possible solutions for

lasting agreements

Questions?

Flaxen Conwayfconway@coas.oregonstate.eduhttp://nnmrec.oregonstate.edu/http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/jspui/handle/1957/13499541-737-1339