Journal of Science Policy & Governance
|
Volume 24, Issue 01 | April 30, 2024
|
Policy Memo: Wind of Change: Overcoming Misinformation in New Jersey's Clean Energy Transition
Gianna White (1), Heidi Yeh (2)
Corresponding author: [email protected] |
Keywords: renewable energy; offshore wind; science communication; misinformation; disinformation; climate education; New Jersey
Executive Summary
As the climate crisis advances, the need to transition from the fossil fuel economy to renewable sources of energy is becoming increasingly urgent. Thanks to climate leadership from the Murphy administration, New Jersey is poised to grow its renewable energy projects in an aggressive attempt to reach 100% clean energy by 2035. However, the state is currently facing pushback from local anti-offshore wind groups, such as Protect Our Coast, which actively disseminate false information about offshore wind (OSW) development and attempt to thwart NJ climate action. To address the growing threat of misinformation, New Jersey should build upon its existing climate education campaign and expand it to entire local communities. Allocating resources towards a dedicated public media campaign can effectively educate citizens and help dispel misinformation surrounding renewable energy initiatives, fostering greater support and understanding among New Jersey residents.
-Read the full article through download.-
Background header image courtesy of Clean Choice
Gianna White is a GEM Fellow at the National Renewable Energy Lab. She received her M.S in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University and her B.S in Sustainable Urban Environments from New York University. Her research interests exist at the intersection of the psychology of sustainability, sustainable urban infrastructure, and equitable policy. Gianna’s goal is to help build more sustainable cities and make sure no one is left behind in the process.
Heidi Yeh is the Policy Director of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. Heidi holds a B.A. in Environmental Science from Barnard College of Columbia University, as well as an M.S. and Ph.D. in Oceanography from the University of Connecticut and Rutgers University, respectively. She seeks to use her career to bridge the divide between science and society to foster informed decisions at all levels of government.
Heidi Yeh is the Policy Director of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. Heidi holds a B.A. in Environmental Science from Barnard College of Columbia University, as well as an M.S. and Ph.D. in Oceanography from the University of Connecticut and Rutgers University, respectively. She seeks to use her career to bridge the divide between science and society to foster informed decisions at all levels of government.
References
- Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. 2023. “What to Expect at the In-Person Open House Public Meetings.” https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/documents/renewable-energy/state-activities/41594_AtlanticShores_MeetingInfo_V02.pdf.
- Cook, John, Peter Ellerton, and David Kinkead. 2018. “Deconstructing climate misinformation to identify reasoning errors”. Environmental Research Letters 13:024018. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aaa49f.
- Dobson, Jim. 2019. “Shocking New Maps Show How Sea Level Rise Will Destroy Coastal Cities By 2050.” Forbes. October 30, 2019 https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimdobson/2019/10/30/shocking-new-maps-show-how-sea-level-rise-will-destroy-coastal-cities-by-2050/.
- Energy Institute. 2024. “Statistical Review of World Energy”. https://www.energyinst.org/__data/assets/excel_doc/0007/1055545/EI-stats-review-all-data.xlsx.
- Fasano, Olivia. 2022. “New Jersey first state to introduce climate change curriculum in schools”. ABC News. September 23, 2022. https://abcnews.go.com/US/jersey-state-introduce-climate-change-curriculum-schools/story?id=90322277.
- Harrington, Samantha. 2020. “How a New Jersey woman is fighting back against sea-level rise”. Yale Climate Connections. March 9, 2020. http://yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/03/how-an-ocean-city-nj-woman-is-fighting-back-against-sea-level-rise/.
- Lopez, Anthony, Trieu Mai, Eric Lantz, Dylan Harrison-Atlas, Travis Williams, and Galen Maclaurin. 2021. “Land Use and Turbine Technology Influences on Wind Potential in the United States.” Energy 223 (May). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2021.2044.
- Krishnan, Mekala, Hamid Samandari, Lola Woetzel, Sven Smit, Daniel Pacthod, Dickon Pinner, Tomas Nauclér, Humayun Tai, Annabel Farr, Weige Wu, and Danielle Imperato. (2022). “The net-zero challenge: Accelerating decarbonization worldwide.” Mckinsey Global Institute. January 25, 2022. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/sustainability/our-insights/the-net-zero-challenge-accelerating-decarbonization-worldwide.
- Monmouth University Polling Institute. 2023. “New Jersey: Support for Wind Energy Plunges”. Monmouth University Polling Institute. https://www.monmouth.edu/polling-institute/reports/monmouthpoll_nj_082923/.
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. “Accelerating Decarbonization of the U.S. Energy System”. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25932.
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. n.d. “Offshore Wind.” https://dep.nj.gov/offshorewind/.
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. (n.d.). https://www.dec.ny.gov/.
- Office of the Governor. 2023. “Governor Murphy Announces Comprehensive Set of Initiatives to Combat Climate Change and Power the ‘Next New Jersey’.”. February 15, 2023. https://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562023/20230215b.shtml.
- Selig, Kate. 2023. “The future of East Coast wind power could ride on this Jersey beach town.” Washington Post. August 8, 2023. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/08/08/offshore-wind-energy-east-coast/.
- Simon, Julia. 2022. “Misinformation is derailing renewable energy projects across the United States”. NPR. March 28, 2022. https://www.npr.org/2022/03/28/1086790531/renewable-energy-projects-wind-energy-solar-energy-climate-change-misinformation.
- Stokes, Leah C., Emma Franzblau, Jessica R. Lovering, and Chris Miljanich. 2023. "Prevalence and predictors of wind energy opposition in North America." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 120: e2302313120. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2302313120.
- The Climate and Development Lab. 2023. “Discourses of Climate Delay in the Campaign Against Offshore Wind: A Case Study from Rhode Island.” The Climate and Development Lab. December 12, 2023. https://www.climatedevlab.brown.edu/services-7.
- Turrentine, Jeff. 2022. “Climate misinformation on social media is undermining climate action.” NRDC. April 19, 2022. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/climate-misinformation-social-media-undermining-climate-action
- Stockton University Polling Institute. 2023. “Wind Energy”. .https://stockton.edu/hughes-center/polling/documents/2023-0928-wind-energy-full-poll-results.pdf.
- Winter, Kevin, Matthew J. Hornsey, Lotte Pummerer, and Kai Sassenberg. 2022. "Anticipating and defusing the role of conspiracy beliefs in shaping opposition to wind farms." Nature Energy 7: 1200-1207. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-022-01164-w.
- Zarocostas, John. 2020. "How to fight an infodemic." The lancet 395: 676. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30461-X.
DISCLAIMER: The findings and conclusions published herein are solely attributed to the author and not necessarily endorsed or adopted by the Journal of Science Policy and Governance. Articles are distributed in compliance with copyright and trademark agreements.
ISSN 2372-2193
ISSN 2372-2193