The importance of trust
in environmental risk communication:
the case of LILW repository site selection in Slovenia
Darinka Drapal, Mojca Drevenšek (PR’P Communications Consultancy)
Metka Kralj (ARAO - Agency for Radwaste Management)
Draft paper for the SRA–Europe conference:
“Innovation and Technical Progress: Benefit without Risk?”
Ljubljana 11 – 13 September 2006
A three-part presentation
Part 1: environment,
perception of
environmental issues…
Part 2: Slovenia and
radioactive waste
Part 3: case study -
local partnership in the
LILW repository site
selection
The attitudes towards the
environment
Q: “In general, how informed
do you feel about
environmental issues?”
71% of Slovene citizens feel
„very well‟ or at least „well‟
informed about
environmental issues
What does that mean?
What is the definition of
„being informed‟?
Source: Eurobarometer - “The attitudes of European citizens towards the environment, 2005
The attitudes towards
radioactive waste
Q: “How well informed do
you think you are about
radioactive waste?”
46% of Slovenes feel very
well informed about
radioactive waste
Source: Eurobarometer - “Radioactive waste”, 2005
Who do you trust most when it comes to
(a) environmental issues and (b) radioactive
waste management in your country?
Most:
Environmetal
protection
associations
Scientist
TV
Least:
Companies
Trade unions
Radio
Sources: Eurobarometer - “The attitudes of European citizens towards the environment”, 2005,
and Eurobarometer – “Radioactive waste”, 2005
What is so different today?
Trust in
organizations
(companies, decision-
makers, media etc.)
is declining.
Publics have better
access to
information.
Publics have a right
to participate in
environmental
Charlie Chaplin: Modern Times (1936)
decision-making…
Three components of trust
Expertise Honesty
(knowledge, (openess,
competency etc.) objectivity etc.)
The components of trust
Covello (1992) Caring
Kasperson (1991) (empathy,
Peters et al. (1997) consistency etc.)
Renn and Levine (1991)
Slovenia and radioactive waste
Sources of
radioactive waste
1 NPP: Krško Nuclear
Power Plant
small producers:
medicine, research
activities, industry
Role of ARAO
Public opinion
researched since
1995…
Short chronological overview
First preliminary studies: before NPP went
into operation
1990 – 1993: the siting process suspended
in its final phase; strong dissaproval
within local communities – mainly due to
lack of information/communication
Project continuation estimated as not
feasible!
ARAO assigned to start a new site selection
process
Key lesson learned: public acceptance =
crucial element
Q1: “People in Slovenia benefit from the
use of nuclear technologies.”
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
sploh se ne strinjam ne strinjam se
niti se strinjam niti se ne strinjam strinjam se
popolnoma se strinjam trend (niti niti)
trend (sploh se ne strinjam) trend (popolnoma se strinjam)
trend (ne strinjam se) trend (strinjam se)
Source: ARAO/Ninamedia, 2005.
Q2: “Dealing with radioactive waste is a
serious problem in Slovenia.”
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
sploh se ne strinjam ne strinjam se
niti se strinjam niti se ne strinjam strinjam se
popolnoma se strinjam trend (niti niti)
trend (sploh se ne strinjam) trend (popolnoma se strinjam)
trend (ne strinjam se) trend (strinjam se)
Source: ARAO/Ninamedia, 2005.
Q3: “In Slovenia, we have to take care for
the repositing of our own radioactive waste.”
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
sploh se ne strinjam ne strinjam se
niti se strinjam niti se ne strinjam strinjam se
popolnoma se strinjam trend (strinjam se)
trend (popolnoma se strinjam)
Source: ARAO/Ninamedia, 2005.
Q4: “Because we produce radioactive
waste in Slovenia, we urgently need an
appropriate repository for them.”
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
sploh se ne strinjam ne strinjam se
niti se strinjam niti se ne strinjam strinjam se
popolnoma se strinjam trend (popolnoma se strinjam)
trend (strinjam se)
Source: ARAO/Ninamedia, 2005.
Q5: Who should make the final decision
regarding the construction of radioactive
waste repository in Slovenia?
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
vlada državni zbor
strokovnjaki krajani območja, na katerem bo odlagališče
vsi prebivalci Slovenije na referendumu kdo drug
ekologi ne vem, neodločen, b.o.
vsi trend (referendum)
trend (strokovnjaki) trend (krajani)
trend (vlada) trend (parlament)
Source: ARAO/Ninamedia, 2005.
How to establish and maintain
trust?
Expertise Honesty
(knowledge, (openess,
competency etc.) objectivity etc.)
The components of trust
Covello (1992) Caring
Kasperson (1991) (empathy,
Peters et al. (1997) consistency etc.)
Renn and Levine (1991)
Possible answer:
through a local partnership
Principles:
Equality of partners
Transparency
Opennes
Honesty
Professional credibility
Tolerance
Respecting the opinions of others etc.
Local partnership – goals
Three groups of goals:
Information and communication
Public participation in the decision-
making process
Building and increasing trust and
facilitating dialogue
Local parnership – partners
Three partners:
local community – citizens, everyone
interested to directly or indirectly take
part in the local partnership,
ARAO - Agency for Radwaste
Management (as the representative of
the investor, the Republic of Slovenia),
Municipality Krško - the local decision-
makers.
Organizational structure
The coordinating The national
The committee advisory
secretariat (5 working groups) board
Sustainable Aarhus
development Convention
Restricted
Environment
land use
Technical
cooperation
Assembly of all (5) working groups
Cross-cutting themes
Internal communication
External communication
(www.partnerstvo.si, local media etc.)
Financial viewpoint
How can we (really) participate in the
decision-making process? To what extent?
Respect for minority opinions
Collision of interests (Who are you?, Where
do you come from?)
Thank you for your attention!
Comments,
ideas,
comparisons,
suggestions…
…are more than wellcome!
Mojca Drevenšek (mojca.drevensek@prp-dd.si)
Darinka Drapal (darinka.drapal@prp-dd.si)
Metka Kralj (metka.kralj@gov.si)