Fair Enough: Assessing Community Confidence in Energy Authorities

Abstract

The foundational concept for the report concerns questions of fairness, both substantive and procedural, and how perceptions of fairness influence trust and confidence. In turn, an understanding of what may be perceived as fair rests on four notions which together provide us with a tentative model that is both explanatory and operationally useful. These notions are: Context – The facts surrounding both the project and the affected communities are at the root of any understanding or solution. Values, interests and attitudes within a given community establish the potential for negotiation and compromise. Information and capacity are necessary, if not sufficient conditions, for success. Engagement and participation are an essential condition for success.