Research by scholars at the School of Public Policy draws on global case studies to outline actionable strategies for key stakeholders to incorporate community concerns during the clean energy transition
Boudet and Hazboun
By Colin Bowyer, Communications Manager - December 2, 2025
Globally, countries have established ambitious targets for renewable energy development to address the climate crisis. Decades of research has found broad public support for renewable energy technologies, such as wind and solar, yet, attempts to act on building renewable energy projects have often run into local opposition. Prior studies have recognized that local communities are often left out of the planning processes for renewable energy development, or are provided minimal opportunity to engage, which can shape how much they trust the developer and planning officials.
An enlightening new study published in Nature Reviews Clean Technology by researchers from the College of Liberal Arts’ School of Public Policy highlights a critical insight for the global renewable energy transition: speed and equity must go hand in hand.
The study, “Going Slow to Go Fast: Understanding Social Responses to Renewable Energy,” co-authored by sociologists Hilary Boudet and Shawn Hazboun, both affiliates of the Pacific Marine Energy Center, synthesizes decades of social science research on public opinion, community response, and energy justice. Their analysis finds that even though the wider public endorses rapid development to meet global renewable energy targets, projects are oftentimes delayed or cancelled due to developers and planning officials choosing not to to truly engage communities.
“There are no perfect solutions for public engagement to deliver speedy and conflict-free solutions,” said Hazboun, “Yet, avoiding or circumventing such processes is likely to result in delays, lawsuits and protests, in addition to inequitable outcomes.”
Boudet and Hazboun propose a “go slow to go fast” approach to allow speed and equity work in concert, allowing the public to provide input and the appropriate permitting and oversight process to occur. In the study, the researchers’ key findings include:
- Community engagement is essential: Projects that fail to involve local communities meaningfully often encounter resistance, causing delays averaging 11–14 months or outright cancellations.
- Equity drives speed: Incorporating principles of energy justice, i.e. a fair distribution of benefits, recognition of impacted communities, and transparent decision-making, reduces opposition and accelerates deployment.
- Understanding concerns: Opposition is rarely about shortsightedness, but, instead reflects legitimate concerns about environmental, cultural, and economic impacts.
- Emerging challenges: Offshore renewables, Indigenous rights, misinformation, and populist narratives pose new hurdles for equitable energy transitions.
- Success generates more success: Well-executed projects enhance trust and improve the industry’s reputation, paving the way for future developments.
The authors’ recommendations for future renewable energy development involve investing in early and meaningful engagement with community members, delivering tangible benefits, e.g. jobs, profit-sharing, or community ownership, and adopting post-growth, socio-ecologically just models to counter populist arguments and create equitable, sustainable societies.
“Speed and justice are not contradictory,” explained Boudet. “Research has shown that when renewable energy and other decarbonization projects are planned without meaningful community engagement communities are likely to significantly oppose development. We’re seeing that, although it takes additional time in the short run, engagement enables faster development in the long run.”