Speed Presentation 2024 Australian Marine Sciences Association Annual Meeting combined with NZMSS

Marine conservation values: a risk to the public social licence to operate offshore wind in Australia? (#192)

Alaya Spencer-Cotton 1 2 3 , Matthew Navarro 1 2 3 , Abbie Rogers 1 2 3 , Michael Burton 1 2 3
  1. University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
  2. UWA Oceans Institute, Perth, WA, Australia
  3. UWA Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy, Perth, WA

Offshore wind energy is potentially going to play a pivotal role in Australia’s transition to a low-carbon future. However, a critical aspect will be the broader Australian public's attitude toward, understanding of, and the overall social licence to operate, offshore wind farms. Neglecting public perceptions and the social licence has proven detrimental to offshore wind development in other countries. Issues such as visual amenity, marine area access, and environmental impacts of iconic species have dominated global public discussions on offshore wind farms. In this project, we take an Australian national snapshot of the current social licence for offshore wind energy. We use established social survey, and economic non-market valuation methods to understand values and preferences. Exploring the links between peoples’ environmental and marine values, their beliefs, and ultimately their support for offshore wind.