The fourth and final seminar in the series took place on 2nd December 2010, in the Council Chamber in Main College at Cardiff University. In this seminar we examined themes relating to sustainability and the trajectories of nuclear energy. 

Professor Nick Pidgeon's talk focussed on the changing landscape of public beliefs around nuclear energy and discussed the intersection between public views and policy framings. In his talk he drew on both qualitative and quantitative data to highlight the significant variations in public views on nuclear energy. He spoke about recent trends toward greater acceptability but pointed to the complexity of public views on nuclear referring to 'reluctant acceptance' as an important concept in understanding contemporary acceptability. In concluding, he emphasised the fragile and contingent nature of anything that might be considered public acceptance of nuclear energy (click here to download a copy of his presentation). 

Ian Welsh spoke about nuclear and wider energy futures in the context of discourses of sustainability, resilience and climate change. He raised questions about how transitions to sustainable energy systems can be acheived in timescales considered appropriate, in particular emphasising multiple issues for nuclear new build, for example related to reactor design and workforce cultures. He concluded his talk pointing to the significant question marks that hang over the role of nuclear new build in sustainable energy system transitions (click here to download a copy of his presentation).  

 The discussion that followed addressed a number of different themes including:

  - what the underlying reasons might be for the shifting patterns of decline and resurgence in the nuclear energy sector

  - the historical lessons that might be learnt from the nuclear story to inform future innovations in energy systems

  - the trade offs inherent in energy system transitions

  - the nature of private capital investment and its role in sustainable energy system transitions

  - and the historical basis for public concern and opposition to nuclear energy

Click here to download a summary of the discussion.

A final report summarising the major themes that have featured in the seminar series will be posted to the blog in the early part of 2011. 

Organisers: Catherine Butler (PSYCH) and Chris Groves (BRASS)

In the contemporary context energy is positioned at the centre of debates about sustainability. In particular, changes to the energy system are situated as critical to tackling climate change because our use of energy in electricity generation, for transportation, as well as other industrial and domestic applications constitutes a major source of anthropogenic greenhouse gases. Concerns about issues of equity which surround the production, distribution and consumption of energy, the sustainability of energy supplies, specific issues relating to particular forms of energy generation (e.g. nuclear waste) and about the implications of emerging technologies (e.g. the use of nanotechnology in energy applications) all combine to create a wide ranging set of research questions and agendas in relation to energy and sustainability. Such concerns have led to calls for a new transition towards a more sustainable energy system characterised by security, affordability of supply, and efficient low-carbon sources. There is a general recognition that an interdisciplinary approach to research on energy is required to address the questions that arise with these calls for what some have termed a ‘new energy paradigm’. There is also, however, a recognised difficulty in achieving interdisciplinary collaboration. From basic difficulties such as differences in disciplinary based language, to more conceptual barriers, we find genuine issues in building effective interdisciplinary working relationships. The proposed activities will facilitate these forms of collaboration through a seminar series designed to bring together academics working on energy issues from a range of different disciplinary backgrounds.

The seminar series will involve presentations from speakers working on energy research from varied disciplinary perspectives to provide insight into and understanding of the differing forms of work taking place across the university and beyond. The events will facilitate insights into how connections might be made between current research activities, and enable the development of ideas for future collaborative research. Each seminar will involve two 20 minutes presentations from key persons in the thematic areas each event addresses. These will be followed by a chaired session of questions and discussion around the central themes and either a buffet lunch or evening drinks to allow further discussion and networking.

These seminars are free to attend and lunch (or evening drinks) will be provided. To get an idea of numbers for catering purposes could you please email butlercc1@cardiff.ac.uk to express your intention to attend.