Positive Social License Solicitation and Affiliation Development through Non-Traditional Engagement Vectors - 19423
- Promation Nuclear Ltd. (Canada)
Generally speaking, the nuclear industry is very effective at accepting the positive and educated merits of 'all things nuclear,' including rationales for nuclear power supply, fuel, and waste-related considerations. However, the general public on average tends to be invariably wary of the nuclear industry, especially when it comes to waste management considerations, and furthermore, is greatly swayed by public sentiment and influences that suggest that 'nuclear is ominous.' This stance is especially true when it comes to waste management. This paper is based on the premise that traditional engagement and social license solicitation initiatives are at best, marginally effective at influencing the favorability within public opinion. However, there is tremendous opportunity and untapped potential to engage in a more meaningful and effective manner, by adopting a more holistic and fundamental approach to social engagement and public influence. This paper elaborates on this approach by presenting sustainable, effective strategies for practical methods of non-traditional social engagement to introduce, expose, educate, inform, develop, and influence a non-biased appreciation for nuclear industry considerations. Starting from a belief that early exposure and awareness of the nuclear industry through indirect engagement manifests a non-threatening, positive affinity for the subject matter, a sustained, deliberate, and multi-vector engagement campaign is effective at establishing a pro-nuclear disposition. Additionally, rather than relying on a few established and known (and perhaps perceived as biased) advocacy entities, this paper establishes a methodology of mobilizing a varied and wide range of indirect stakeholders to disseminate and manifest the desired-and unbiased-message. In effect, rather than coming from a position where traditional industry advocacy sources vie and lobby for disseminating the merits and realities of the industry, this strategy establishes a means to have non-biased, non-nuclear agents 'tell the story' about the nuclear industry. Practical examples will be provided detailing how some of the proposed methodologies have been successfully deployed. This includes hosting a province- (state)-wide technical competition for 100+ elementary school children, using the context and narrative of a spent-fuel removal and storage-handling system. This specific experience resulted from introducing complex nuclear concepts and environments in a very accessible manner to the young students, while also capitalizing on the curiosity of the their parents, teachers, friends, and community in an open and engaging information and awareness initiative that they would not have otherwise encountered through the traditional engagement vectors. With continued similar experiences, this cohort will become part of the desired voting demographic faced with questions and decisions around nuclear power, waste handling, and storage. Drawing upon their early engagement and deliberate exposure to the subject matter, over time, this audience will invariably result in a much more engaged, educated, informed, and positively-inclined demographic. In summary, a positive shift in the prevailing general public sentiment can be achieved through a a broad, long-term, and wide-reaching early engagement strategy. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- WM Symposia, Inc., PO Box 27646, 85285-7646 Tempe, AZ (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 23005322
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US-21-WM-19423; TRN: US21V1249045656
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: WM2019: 45. Annual Waste Management Conference, Phoenix, AZ (United States), 3-7 Mar 2019; Other Information: Country of input: France; 13 refs.; available online at: https://www.xcdsystem.com/wmsym/2019/index.html
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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