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How people perceive risk or threats is important to many disciplines that seek to assist policy makers in developing policies, regulations and laws. Using the previous work of Slovic et al. (Fischhoff, Slovic, Lichtenstein, Read and Combs, 2000; Slovic P., 1992; Slovic, Fischhoff, and Lichtenstein, 2000) in development of the psychometric paradigm, a sample of residents (n=600) from a region with a large number of nuclear reactors was surveyed. The question set was expanded to include demographic questions to determine if they impact risk perception. Two aspects of risk perception were examined, perception of overall risk and perception of riskiness along specific dimensions of concern identified previously in the literature. For both risk and riskiness, respondents’ perceptions of nuclear power were compared to three other perceptions of technologies including use of modern farming methods using chemicals, railroad transportation and coal-generated electricity. The recent increase in public concern about nuclear power following the meltdowns at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant led to the expectation that nuclear power would be rated higher in overall risk and riskiness than the other three technologies consistent with Slovic’s earlier work on risk perception. This expectation was generally supported although respondents tended to perceive modern farming methods using chemical as similar in overall risk and riskiness to nuclear power. The research specifically tested five hypotheses concerning the impact of five demographic factors: gender, race, income, education and political orientation on the overall perception of risk and riskiness. Subsequent analysis using analysis of variance and linear regression found that select demographics only explained 2% of the risk perception for nuclear power generation.

Mitigating energy poverty requires a multi-criteria decision protocol integrating socio-economic, cultural, environmental, and technical systems, influencing energy access, and consumption. Situations of energy poverty are typical in rural and urban poor households, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. These situations are commonly prevalent in informal settlements, sprawling across the periphery of South African metros. Majorities of informal households lack access to grid-electricity and consume local energy sources for their energy needs. There are ongoing government efforts directed to mitigating energy poverty among energy-poor households, such as informal households, through policies and subsidies. Socio-economic and cultural environments also redefine the extent to which energy poverty is mitigated in these households. At present, informal households are constantly and rapidly growing, and as a result, compromise policy effectiveness and other functional strategies, targeting to mitigating energy poverty in these households, and achieving universal energy access in South Africa. Accordingly, this research study adopted a multidisciplinary approach to understanding related matters of energy poverty based on energy policies; electricity access, and pricing; geospatial analysis; energy use and access; and management strategies, with emphasis on informal settlements in South Africa. The first part of the study reviewed energy pro-poor policies, relevant to improving energy access and energy-use efficiency in energy-poor households in South Africa. The study also investigated electricity access (access rates), connection costs (access costs), and electricity tariffs to understand historical precedents and forecast scenarios, and the relationships to gaining complete electricity access by 2030 in the City of Cape Town. The third part mapped and monitored informal areas to understand landscape processes and poverty with energy poverty propagations by Land Cover (LC) and Land-Cover Change (LCC) in the City of Cape Town. The fourth part of the research investigated energy-use patterns and other energy-related matters in a selected informal settlement - a typical case study of an energy-poor community in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. The last part proposed and designed a novel System Reinforcing Model (SRM), an Energy Access Sustainability (EAS) management scheme, applicable to mitigating energy poverty in any energy-poor community. The study review validated government efforts in improving energy access in energy-poor households through commissioned energy pro-poor policies but not without drawbacks and proposed recommendations to support future policy reforms. The research also revealed iv A novel systems approach to energy poverty in sub-Saharan Africa: A South African informal settlement as case study. increasing patterns in historical trends of access rates, costs, and tariffs, and relationships between parameters within the assessment period (from 2010 to 2018). The forecast analyses (from 2019 to 2030) demonstrated that total electricity access could not be reached by 2030 without a shift in Business-As-Usual (BAU) patterns in the City of Cape Town. The LC conversions of informal areas revealed poverty with energy poverty propagations through landscape degradation processes - Persistence and Intensification - in the City of Cape Town. The research study further revealed poor energy use patterns and behaviour in the target Settlement. Informal households in the settlement mainly adopted local energy fuels and appliances in satisfying household energy needs. The novel part of the research study described the application of a systems approach - Systems engineering (SE) and Systems Thinking (SsT) - into energy poverty and access processes to developing the new SRM. SE and SsT concept analyses were employed in identifying and integrating four operating system interfaces in these processes into the new SRM. The new SRM simulated complex systems and elements within the interfaces and categorized them as design decisions and system designs. These systems and elements were grounded in energy-use patterns and behaviour, energy access, and EAS, as well as socio-economic, cultural, technical, and environmental features. Arrays of feedback loops in reinforcing patterns in the new SRM modelled the interactions between, and within, design decisions and system designs, for future energy access rebranding, based on significant sustainability outcomes of favourably coalesced system interfaces. SRM was applied in the target settlement, where the model’s significance was validated. Based on its multi-criteria decision approach, among its many features, SRM revealed system parts instigating energy poverty situations and limiting EAS in the target settlement. SRM tailored energy access solutions, whilst integrating significant outcomes of the whole research study, to advancing energy poverty mitigation and EAS in the target settlement. / Thesis (PhD (Technology Management))--University of Pretoria, 2020. / UP Postgraduate Bursary / International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) / Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM) / PhD (Technology Management) / Unrestricted

Energy conservation and implementation of effective energy efficiency policies have become imperative to curbing the escalating consumption of energy. The imbalance in the supply and demand of a country's energy has increased the importance of implementing energy efficiency policies. Proper replication of strategic energy efficiency policies that are known to be successful in one country, along with development of new approaches, can be helpful in developing the energy policy portfolio of another country. Some OECD (Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development) countries like Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States have benefited from their energy policies during the most recent energy crisis. The motivation of this research is to provide a tool for developing countries, which are still in the stage of formulating their energy efficiency policies, to compare energy efficiency policy portfolios across countries. These countries can improve their energy efficiency policy portfolios based on lessons learned from the developed countries. The research develops a framework to compare energy efficiency policy portfolios across countries / states. Although this framework can be adopted for any type of energy policy, targeting any sector with few modifications, the current focus is on policies that target the residential building sector to reduce energy consumption. The research begins with identification of the functional domains that influence human behavior–people, economy, environment and technology–followed by identification of the factors affecting household energy consumption. It uses the four functional domains as the evaluation framework's four axes. The various factors affecting household energy consumption are positioned in the framework based on association with the functional domains. The energy efficiency policies implemented in a country are positioned in the same framework based on the pattern of diffusion of each type of policy. In addition, a prototype method is developed to identify the factors targeted by each energy efficiency policy implemented in a country. This evaluation method allows for a uniform assessment process of how energy efficiency policies target specific socio-economic factors that are known to affect energy consumption. The proposed framework will facilitate the work of policy makers and other decision makers with a powerful tool for evaluating and comparing their individual policies, or their complete portfolio of energy efficiency policies, to those from other states or countries, and to benefit from the lessons learned. / Ph. D.

Also published on CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (PhD)--Macquarie University, Division of Information & Communication Sciences, Department of Physics, 2003. / Bibliography: p. 269-277. / Introduction -- Oliphant: a finger in many pies -- Men of vision and a world power in embryo -- The birth of the Commission -- We need secrets to trade: the Beryllia Project -- The Commission: a hive of activity -- The reactor that never was: the Jervis Bay Project -- The reinvention of the Commission -- The Commission is dead, long live ANSTO -- Conclusion. / Nuclear energy was once seen as a possible answer to man's energy needs, but it could also be used to produce the most destructive weapons known. The initial research into the phenomenon of nuclear fission was done at university laboratories in Europe on the eve of the Second World War. This war led to the development of the first nuclear weapons. After the war, many nations wanted access to both the weapons and the source of cheap power that the process of nuclear fission provided. Australia was one such nation. -- The Australian Government wanted nuclear energy to help develop the dry interior of the continent. There were many in Government who also wanted nuclear weapons. This work focuses on the Australian pursuit of nuclear energy for peaceful uses. The achieve this aim an organisation was established which would train scientists and engineers in nuclear science and technology. This organisation, the Australian Atomic Energy Commission, is the subject of this thesis. -- This work will examine the political influences that governed the Commission in its function and scientific research paths. Specifically, it will examine how successive governments caused the Commission to cancel projects, change the direction of its research, attempted (on several occasions) to amalgamate the Commission with the CSIRO, forcing the organisation into uranium mining and finally abolishing it and replacing it with a new organisation, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation. Government interference would continue with this new organisation which had its entire board dismissed in 1993. -- The Commission was essentially a scientific and engineering organisation and hence this thesis will also consider a number of projects with which the Commission was involved such as the Beryllium Project, uranium exploration and mining, the uranium enrichment programs, the purchase of two nuclear reactors, the Synroc project, and the ill-fated Jervis Bay power reactor project. Other projects which were started in the early days of the Commission, the neutron diffraction work and the isotope production projects, will be mentioned in passing. Both these projects require a more detailed appraisal than is possible in this thesis. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / viii, 278 p. ill

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Political Science and Public Administration. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Despite their similar size, material resources, shared geopolitical conditions and common history, the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have pursued remarkably different policies towards Russia in the 1994-2010 period. Complex patterns of differentiation are evident across issue areas and over time. Given the static structural similarities between the Baltic states, how can we explain their divergent policies towards Russia and the change in these policies over time? This puzzle informs the central research question of this study: Why did Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian foreign policies towards Russia diverge in the 1994 to 2010 period? This work analyses the foreign policy of the Baltic states using typologies based on two axes: cooperative/adversarial and pragmatic/principled. Relying primarily on the liberal approach to international relations, the theoretical framework identifies six independent variables: the left/right political orientation of the government, instrumental usage of principled policies, the ethnic factor, business interests, membership in the EU and NATO, and, finally, Moscow’s own policies. It suggests that these factors played causal roles in determining Baltic policy towards Russia. Three case studies on the oil and gas sectors, as well as historical tensions, provide the empirical evidence to trace and explain the differentiated pathways of Baltic foreign policies. The empirical analysis provides evidence to argue that due to domestic political differences Lithuania pursued the most adversarial and principled policy towards Russia. Estonia, by way of contrast, pursued cooperative and pragmatic policies regarding energy issues. On political questions, however, it maintained a principled and adversarial stance, though this was less pronounced that that of Lithuania. Finally, Latvia pursued moderately principled and relatively adversarial energy policies placing it in between Lithuania and Estonia. With regard to history, Estonia’s and particularly Latvia’s policies experienced a notable evolution from adversarial and principled to more cooperative and pragmatic policies. In sum, this work demonstrates that the typologies of Baltic policies differed across sectors and experienced both divergence and at times convergence in rhetoric if not policies.

La question de la réduction des émissions de CO2 est aujourd’hui clairement posée dans le monde entier et la COP21 a mis en évidence les nouvelles exigences internationales auxquelles les pays pourraient ou devraient être confrontées à court terme. L’objectif fondamental de la thèse consiste à contribuer à l’identification des solutions possibles dans le domaine de la production croissante d’électricité dans un pays en développement, le Vietnam, en tenant compte de la nécessaire réduction des sources d’énergie carbonées. Dans ce but, plusieurs scénarios concernant le développement du secteur électrique au Vietnam sont construits en vue de mesurer les effets des choix relatifs à la production d’électricité sur les émissions de CO2.Après avoir présenté un panorama de la situation énergétique du Vietnam et mis en évidence l’augmentation rapide de la consommation d’électricité du fait de la pression démographique et de l’expression de nouveaux besoins, la question des importations de charbon et de gaz et celle de la production de nouvelles forme d’énergie sont posées, au regard des contraintes économiques, mais aussi environnementales. Les réflexions théoriques, l’étude de la construction des plans directeurs d’électricité, l’analyse des outils économiques disponibles et l’application des modèles de la prévision de la demande d’énergie permettent de comprendre la complexité du « pari électrique » auquel est confronté le Vietnam. Après une présentation des instruments quantitatifs potentiels de simulation, ELECsim a été choisi pour la modélisation du secteur électrique au Vietnam. Les scénarios se basent sur plusieurs hypothèses concernant l’évolution de la croissance économique et de la démographie, le prix de l’énergie, le développement des technologies de production d’électricité, la valeur déclarée du carbone, les taux d’actualisation et les taux de change. Le Vietnam peut d’abord maîtriser la croissance de la demande par une action forte sur l’efficacité énergétique, tout en réduisant parallèlement à la fois les coûts de production de l’électricité et les émissions de CO2. Plusieurs scenarios sont alors proposés, mettant en évidence à la fois la nécessité de la recherche d’une plus grande efficacité énergétique et la promotion des énergies en bas carbone, dans le cadre d’une réorientation rapide des choix politiques face aux nécessités d’un développement économique accéléré, mais aussi durable. Six scenarios ont été construits, sur la base d’un scenario de référence, insistant successivement sur l’efficacité énergétique, le nucléaire, la technologie CCS, les énergies renouvelables et un mix électrique plus équilibré. La contrainte environnementale globale (réduction des émissions de CO2) est prioritaire dans le processus de construction des scénarios. Cette approche multicritères est très nouvelle au Vietnam, pays plutôt préoccupé, aujourd’hui, par la contrainte des coûts d’approvisionnement. Les scénarios analysés dans la thèse prennent en compte la réduction de l’intensité carbone du secteur électrique du Vietnam. Il est alors proposé, comme seuil du critère de référence, le niveau d’émission de 50 à 80 g/kWh (choisi à partir des seuils étudiés par deux économies asiatiques voisines du Vietnam telles qu’Indonésie et Inde). Les différents mix de production électrique proposés semblent offrir des solutions pertinentes. Elles permettent de relever les défis économiques et environnementaux lié à l’expansion du secteur électrique du Vietnam. L’analyse prend en compte notamment la pression croissante de la demande, la sécurité de l’approvisionnement des combustibles avec des choix alternatifs, la réduction des coûts totaux d’une production électrique élevée, le contrôle de la facture extérieure, la prise en compte de l’impact social (notamment sur la santé des citoyens) et de l’occupation des sols et, enfin, le respect des normes relatives à la protection de l’environnement régional, national et mondial. / Reduction of CO2 emissions issue is clearly a world challenge today and COP21 highlighted the international requirements for countries to address related issues in the short and long term. The fundamental objective of the thesis is to contribute to the identification of possible climate policy solutions related to growing electricity production in a developing country, namely Vietnam, taking into account the need to reduce carbon energy sources. For this purpose several scenarios for electricity sector development are constructed in order to measure effects of choices related to the electricity production on CO2 emissions.The thesis presents an overview of the energy situation in Vietnam and highlights the rapid increase in electricity consumption due to population pressure and new needs. It also considers major issues of coal and gas imports, new energy sources, in light of economic constraints but also environmental challenges. The theoretical and analytical chapter reviews the analyses of electricity master plans construction, major available economic tools for energy demand forecast models. This forms the framework to understanding the complexity of the "electric bet" which Vietnam faces. After a presentation of potential quantitative simulation instruments, ELECsim was chosen for modeling the electricity sector in Vietnam. This leads to a comprehensive scenario approach; Scenarios are based on several assumptions about the evolution of economic growth and demographics, energy prices, the power generation technology development, the declared carbon value, discount rates and change rate. As a first step in energy and climate policy Vietnam can control the demand growth by strong action on energy efficiency, while reducing parallel to both the electricity production costs and CO2 emissions. Several scenarios are then proposed, highlighting both the need to search for higher energy efficiency and the promotion of low-carbon energies. Research envisages a rapid shift in policy choices to face the needs of an accelerated but sustainable economic development. Six scenarios were constructed on the basis of a reference scenario, focusing successively on energy efficiency, nuclear, CCS, renewables and a more balanced electricity mix. Environmental constraints (CO2 emissions reduction) have priority in the scenario building process. This multi-criteria approach is very new in Vietnam, a country more familiar with supply cost-based approach. Scenarios analyzed here take into account the carbon intensity reduction of Vietnam's power sector. It is proposed as the benchmark threshold, the emission level of 50-80 g/kWh (similar to reference level studied in two of Vietnam’s neighboring Asian economies such as Indonesia and India). In our research, the different mix of electricity generation offer relevant solutions. They allow meeting the economic and environmental challenges related to the expansion of the Vietnam’s electricity sector. The analysis takes into account several dimensions such as the increasing demand pressure, fuels supply security with alternative choices, reduced high electrical production total costs, control of external bill, considered social impact (especially on health of citizens) and land use and, finally, compliance with standards related to the regional, national and global environment/climate protection.

Concerns about anthropogenic climate change, fossil fuel depletion, energy security, and damage to our ecosystems are acting as a catalyst for action in many sectors of industry and society. One key sector which has been identified as crucial for addressing these issues is the building sector. Therefore, in the UK context, with the aim of reducing carbon dioxide emissions, the requirements for new homes in terms of their energy efficiency are becoming ever more stringent, leading to the introduction of the zero carbon homes standard from 2016. Alongside this, broader priorities for sustainable development have been established in the UK, with a focus on the creation of sustainable communities. These are communities which support the diverse needs of residents and provide a good quality of life whilst protecting the natural environment. The literature suggests that the volume housebuilding sector is failing to meet housing demand in terms of either quantity or quality. Furthermore, it is apparent that the sector is failing to respond to voluntary stimuli for the delivery of zero carbon homes. Thus, it is with an overall aim of supporting the delivery of zero carbon homes and sustainable communities that this thesis has been undertaken. The UK Government suggested in 2011 that self-build homes, in which the occupant is involved in either building or commissioning the home, are more likely to be affordable, energy efficient and innovative than open market housing. Self-build housing accounts for only around 10% of new homes built in the UK, and group self-build is a small proportion of this. The UK Government has an aspiration to double the size of the self-build sector, with an expansion in the group self-build sector, over the decade to 2021. Literature on the self-build sector is limited, and that on the group self-build sector even more so. Indeed, gaps in knowledge in terms of the motivations for and benefits of group self-build exist. There are also gaps in knowledge in terms of the barriers to group self-building and ways in which the expansion of the sector could be best supported. Furthermore, existing literature on drivers for and barriers to zero carbon homebuilding is limited and fails to gather opinions from the broad range of professionals involved in the delivery of new homes. With the aim of addressing these gaps in knowledge, three complementary studies were conducted with an element of focus on the region of Cornwall, in South West England. With the aim of exploring opinions of professionals involved in the delivery of new homes regarding zero carbon homebuilding, a series of 34 semi-structured interviews was undertaken within the first study (Perceptions of zero carbon homebuilding). The second study was undertaken with the aim of investigating professional and expert opinions on the suitability of group self-build as a development model for zero carbon homes and sustainable communities (Self-build perceptions). This investigation employed the Policy Delphi method, an iterative, non-contact group research process in which data was gathered from participants through three rounds of online questionnaire surveys. This second study was formed of two concurrent studies; one employed a panel of national participants within England, the other a panel of regional participants within South West England. The third and final study aimed to explore the experience-based opinions of group self-builders through a series of 11 in-depth interviews (Group self-build reflections). The three studies are presented independently. However, each subsequent study is built upon the knowledge gained in the previous study. Within the final chapter of the thesis, the results are brought together and triangulated through a consideration of how the findings coalesce to cast light on the three central concepts of zero carbon homes, sustainable communities, and group self-build housing. The findings from this research identify and elucidate a number of themes of drivers for and barriers to zero carbon homebuilding. Themes of drivers include: legislative, economic, social responsibility, individual, and industry. Themes of barriers include: economic, skills and knowledge, industry, legislative, and cultural. Multiple potential support mechanisms for the delivery of zero carbon homes were also identified. The findings highlight the need for a cultural shift in the housebuilding industry, reducing the over-reliance on volume housebuilders. A broad range of benefits and motivations for group self-building have been identified and explored. However, whilst a strong appetite for environmentally sustainable development amongst group self-builders is established, this research casts some doubt on the central assertion that group self-build homes will be more energy efficient than speculatively built homes. Differences between the individual and group self-build sector were exposed both in terms of the motivations and the barriers faced. This thesis demonstrates how the benefits of group self-build housing serve to help create sustainable communities, and how they also serve to address some of the barriers to zero carbon homebuilding. The findings of this research demonstrate that group self-build housing offers a significant number of potential benefits towards the delivery of zero carbon homes and the creation of sustainable communities.