Public Perceptions and the Acceptance of CCS Development In Canada – A Vignette Experiment

Abstract

The pressure to achieve net-zero CO2 objectives has heightened the need to evaluate energy technologies in Canada, where the oil and gas industry remains essential to the economy. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a component of Canada’s net-zero CO2 strategies and can absorb up to 90 percent of the CO2 emissions from major point emitters. However, public perception and support for CCS remain controversial. This study investigated the reasons for the heterogeneity in acceptance and support for CCS in Canada. Random effects model was applied to vignette experimental data to investigate the public's perceptions of CCS as a climate mitigation technology. Our findings indicate that cross-border import of CO2 for storage has a strong effect on the acceptance of CCS plant scenarios. Consultation, compensation, proximity, knowledge, risks, and trust are critical drivers of CCS acceptance. The study concluded that communication efforts to improve public understanding and acceptance of CCS should focus on demystifying the risks of CCS instead of its technicalities and climate mitigation capacity.

Keywords: Public Perceptions, Carbon Capture and Storage, Cross-border Import of CO2, Climate Change, Seismicity, Vignette Experiment

JEL Classification: Q52, Q54, Q48