Why and How Urban Residents Resisted a Proposed Gas-Fired Power Station

Abstract

New urban infrastructure including lower-carbon energy facilities are increasingly met with community resistance during the public participation phase of planning. Resistance can confound the implementation of government climate change and energy policies. A qualitative case study using social capital and place-attachment analytical lenses is conducted to build knowledge about the social factors involved in a Canberra community's resistance to a gas-fired power station. Analysis reveals that while social capital explains how resistance occurred, a threatened disruption to place attachment explains why. We conclude that public participation processes informed by community social capital and place attachment characteristics would help developers and planners pre-empt resistance.

在规划的公共参与阶段，新的城市基础设施，包括低碳能源设施，遭到社区越来越强烈的抵制。这种抵制可能阻碍政府实施其气候改变和能源政策。一项定性个案研究运用社会资本和地方依恋分析，了解堪培拉社区抵制燃气发电站活动中的各种社会因素。分析显示，社会资本能够解释抵制是如何发生的，而地方依恋则解释了为什么会发生。我们认为，在公众参与过程中考虑社区社会资本和地方依恋特点，将有助于开发商和规划者应对抵制。

Keywords::

• Community resistance
• lower-carbon infrastructure
• place attachment
• public participation
• social capital

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the interviewees who participated in this research and the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments.