Public Attitudes to the Nuclear Industry November 2010 Presented - - PDF document

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Public Attitudes to the Nuclear Industry November 2010 Presented - - PDF document

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Public Attitudes to the Nuclear Industry November 2010 Presented by: Robert Knight Methodology Latest wave of a long series tracking publics attitudes toward the nuclear industry Conducted via Ipsos MORI Omnibus (face-to-face,

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Public Attitudes to the Nuclear Industry

Presented by: Robert Knight November 2010

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SLIDE 2

Methodology

  • Latest wave of a long series tracking public’s attitudes

toward the nuclear industry

  • Conducted via Ipsos MORI Omnibus (face-to-face, in-home)

among a representative sample of 1,980 adults in 170 sampling points across Great Britain. Split-sampling was used, so some questions are based on approximately half the total sample

  • Data weighted to reflect the population of Great Britain
  • Fieldwork: 5th – 14th November 2010

2

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Issues of concern

3

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27% 16% 13% 12% 11% 10% 10% 10% 7% 6%

Issues of most concern

Q What issues, if any, concern you the most these days?

Law and order/Crime/Policing/Violence War/Afghanistan/Iraq/Iran Terrorism The economy/Cost of living

Base: All adults aged 16+ (981) November 2010

Healthcare/Family health Public spending cuts/public sector redundancies Immigration/Asylum seekers

  • 3

+4

  • 3

+2 n/a +4

  • 1

Change ‘09 – ‘10 + Education

  • 2

Unemployment/Job security

4

  • 15

Financial security

  • 3
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SLIDE 5

6% 5% 5% 5% 4% 3% 3% 3% 3% 2%

Issue of most concern contd

Q What issues, if any, concern you the most these days?

Protection of the environment Drugs Child protection/ Child abuse Pollution Human Rights Third world poverty Multiculturalism/race or religious issues

  • 7
  • 2
  • 2
  • 5
  • 5
  • 1

Cure for diseases

  • 4

5

  • 1

Only answers given by 2% or more are charted here

World peace Greenhouse effect/global warming/ climate change Change ‘09 – ‘10 +

Base: All adults aged 16+ (981) November 2010

Nuclear power 1% Secure energy supply 1%

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SLIDE 6

17% 10% 10% 9% 9% 8% 8% 6% 6%

Too much traffic

Environmental issues of most concern

Waste disposal

Q What issues to do with the environment and conservation, if any, concern you most these days?

Loss of green belt/overbuilding Air pollution Preservation of wildlife/countryside Greenhouse effect/global warming/ climate change Pollution Lack of recycling

  • 9
  • 5

+1

  • 2

+3

  • 6

+1

Destruction of rainforests/ Deforestation

6

Change ‘09 – ‘10 +

Base: All adults aged 16+ (981) November 2010

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SLIDE 7

4% 4% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3%

Environmental issues of most concern contd

Pollution of rivers/streams/water

Q What issues to do with the environment and conservation, if any, concern you most these days? Contd

Destruction of the ozone layer/CFCs Industrial pollution Pollution of seas/waste disposal at sea Change ‘09 – ‘10 +

  • 1
  • 1

+1 +1

Litter in the countryside Toxic/chemical waste/Toxic dumping

  • 4
  • 2
  • 1

Only mentions of 3% or more are shown here

7

Flooding/Coastal problems

+1

Litter in towns and cities/Local environment Exhaust fumes from cars/lorries

Base: All adults aged 16+ (981) November 2010

Nuclear waste 2% Power station leakage 1%

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SLIDE 8

The nuclear energy industry

8

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33% 33% 35% 35% 33% 40% 27% 25% 26% 19% 20% 17%

Favourability tow ards the industry

Q How favourable or unfavourable is your opinion or impression

  • f the nuclear energy industry?

% Very/ mainly favourable % Very/ mainly unfavourable

2005 2006 2007

9

2008 2009 2010

Base: All adults aged 16+ (1,980) November 2010

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SLIDE 10

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Feb '98 Aug Feb '99 Sep t Apri l '00 Dec July '01 Dec '02 Dec '03 Dec '04 Nov '05 Nov '06 Nov '07 Nov '08 Nov '09 Nov '10

Q How favourable or unfavourable are your overall opinions

  • r impressions of the nuclear industry/nuclear energy?

Favourable opinion of the nuclear industry

Favourable Unfavourable

Sept Oct 10

40% 17%

Base: All adults aged 16+ (1,980) November 2010

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40% 56% 25% 17% 14% 19%

Women are now favourable to the industry, on balance

Base: All men (964), all women (1,016) November 2010

Q How favourable or unfavourable is your opinion or impression of the nuclear energy industry?

% Very/ mainly favourable % Very/ mainly unfavourable

All Men Women

11

Change since 2009 Change since 2009

+7 +11 +4

  • 3
  • 3
  • 4
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SLIDE 12

Familiarity w ith the nuclear industry is back to 2008 level

0% 10% 20% 30% 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

% Know very well/a fair amount

Q How well do you feel you know the nuclear energy industry?

20% 27%

12

17% 20%

Base: All adults aged 16+ (1,980) November 2010

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SLIDE 13

Men still feel they know the industry better

Men

% Know just a little % Know fair amount % Know very well % Heard of, but know almost nothing % Never heard of

24% 24% 3% 44% 5% Women 11% 40% 5% 1% 43%

Q How well do you feel you know the nuclear energy industry?

Source: Ipsos MORI Base: All men (964), all women (1,016) November 2010

13

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20% 19% 19% 18% 7% 5% 1% 1% 1% 1% 7% 25%

Costs are competitive

Benefits of nuclear energy

Q What do you believe are, if any, the benefits of nuclear energy as a source of electricity?

General impact on the environment/ Cleaner Only a small amount of waste is produced None Ensures reliable supply of electricity/ Energy independence No carbon dioxide is produced during generation. Helps to combat climate change

+3

  • 1

n/a

  • 2

+2

Change ‘09-’10 + Don’t know/no answer

  • 7

Proven technology that already exists

+2

Less use of fossil fuels/ Natural resources Other

14

Only mentions of 1% or more are shown here

It offers an unlimited supply of power Clean/cleaner energy

+1

  • 1

Base: All adults aged 16+ (1,980) November 2010

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37% 29% 22% 10% 7% 7% 3% 2% 1% 6% 19%

Risk of accident

Disadvantages of nuclear energy

Q Looking at this card, what do you believe are, if any, the disadvantages of nuclear energy as a source of electricity?

Radiation/contamination risk General impact on the environment (unspecified) Cost is too high Other (Long term) disposal of nuclear waste None

+2

Change ‘09-’10 +

+1

  • 1
  • 1
  • 2

Potential terrorist target

  • 1

15

Ugly/Eyesores/Loss of visual amenity Public opinion/Public perception Don’t know

  • 1
  • 5

Only mentions of 2% or more are shown here Base: All adults aged 16+ (1,980) November 2010

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30% 21% 10% 8% 8% 2% 2% 2% 6% 10% 30% 29% 22% 10% 7% 6% 3% 2% 1% 6% 27% Men Women

Men more concerned about nuclear w aste

Q What do you believe are, if any, the disadvantages of nuclear energy as a source of electricity?

37

All respondents

%

16

(Long term) disposal of nuclear waste Risk of accident Radiation/contamination risk General impact on environment (unspecified) Potential terrorist target Cost is too high Ugly/Eyesore/less of visual amenity Public opinion/Public perception Other None Don't know 22 29 10 7 7 2 3 1 6 19

Base: All adults aged 16+ (1,980) November 2010

45%

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Attitudes to New build

17

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SLIDE 18

Base: All respondents c2,000

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

J u l

  • 1

D e c

  • 2

D e c

  • 3

D e c

  • 4

N

  • v
  • 5

N

  • v
  • 6

N

  • v
  • 7

N

  • v
  • 8

N

  • v
  • 9

N

  • v
  • 1

Support Oppose

Q To what extent would you support or oppose the building of new nuclear power stations in Britain TO REPLACE those that are being phased out over the next few years? This would ensure the same proportion of nuclear energy is retained.

Support for replacement new build has increased again

* Wording in 2001 was “To what extent would you support or oppose the building of new nuclear power stations in Britain?”

19% 47%

18

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7% 12% 26% 34% 13% 8%

Tend to support Neither support nor oppose Strongly support Strongly

  • ppose

Tend to

  • ppose

Base: All respondents (1,980) November 2010

Don’t know

Q To what extent would you support or oppose the building of new nuclear power stations in Britain TO REPLACE those that are being phased out over the next few years? This would ensure the same proportion of nuclear energy is retained.

Support for replacement new build

+1 +4

  • 2
  • 3

19

‘03 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 Change % % % % % % % % ‘09 ‐ ‘10 Support 29 35 41 39 36 44 43 47 +4 Oppose 39 30 28 29 28 19 19 19 Net Support

  • 10
  • 5

13 10 8 25 24 29 +5 Neutral/DK 32 35 31 32 36 37 38 34

  • 4
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47 61 34 32 40 46 51 60 54 61 47 43 36 34 26 43 47 42 35 32 25 26 22 32 40 45 19 13 23 21 18 19 18 15 20 17 21 17 19 All Men Women 16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ AB C1 C2 DE

All demographics now support replacement new build

Support Oppose

Q To what extent would you support or oppose the building of new nuclear power stations in Britain TO REPLACE those that are being phased out over the next few years? This would ensure the same proportion of nuclear energy is retained.

Neutral/Don’t know

Base: All general public (1,980) November 2010

20

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0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

D e c

  • 2

D e c

  • 3

D e c

  • 4

N

  • v
  • 5

N

  • v
  • 6

N

  • v
  • 7

N

  • v
  • 8

N

  • v
  • 9

N

  • v
  • 1

Base: All men (c 1,000)

Men support

61% 13%

Q To what extent would you support or oppose the building of new nuclear power stations in Britain TO REPLACE those that are being phased out over the next few years? This would ensure the same proportion of nuclear energy is retained.

Men oppose

Support for replacement new build is up most among men

21

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SLIDE 22

Base: All respondents c2,000 (c1,000 men, 1,000 Women)

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

D e c

  • 2

D e c

  • 3

D e c

  • 4

N

  • v
  • 5

N

  • v
  • 6

N

  • v
  • 7

N

  • v
  • 8

N

  • v
  • 9

N

  • v
  • 1

Men support 61% 13%

Q To what extent would you support or oppose the building of new nuclear power stations in Britain TO REPLACE those that are being phased out over the next few years? This would ensure the same proportion of nuclear energy is retained.

Support of w omen is solid, though less decisive

Women support Men oppose Women oppose 23% 34%

22

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31% 30% 22% 20% 17% 17% 11% 9% 8% 6% 2% 5% 3%

Waste/ disposal of waste

Risk and w aste disposal continue to dominate

Opposed to idea of nuclear

Q Why are you opposed to the building of new nuclear power stations in Britain to replace those being phased

  • ut over the next few years?

Should use renewables/ alternatives Concerns re: radiation Don’t know enough about it Security risk/ possible terrorist target Concerns re: the environment

Base: All opposed to building new replacement nuclear power stations (367) November 2010

(Any mention of) Risk Concerns re: long term impact High cost/ expense

23

Other Don’t need them Don’t know

+1

Change ‘09-’10 +

  • 2
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
  • 8
  • 5
  • 2
  • 2
  • 1

+2

Only answers mentioned by 2% or more are included

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25% 22% 22% 22% 18% 15% 10% 8% 6% 6% 5% 5%

Cheap/cheaper/cost effective

Nuclear seen as clean replacement for fossil fuels to maintain security of supply

Required for energy source/generate electricity supply/retain/rising demands

Q Why do you support the building of new nuclear power stations in Britain to replace those being phased out

  • ver the next few years?

Replace traditional resources/renewable energy sources/environmentally friendly Reliable long term source of energy To replace old ones/Upgrade/Improve/Build correctly The only way forward/power energy for the future/modern and up to date Clean source of energy

Base: All who support replacement newbuild (891) November 2010

Lack of viable alternatives/only sustainable source/lesser of two evils As long as there are proper safeguards/New ones should be safer than the existing ones

Only answers mentioned by 5% or more are included

Will be more efficient Require our own energy so as to reduce reliance on

  • ther countries

Need alternative source of energy

24

  • 2

Change ‘09-’10 +

  • 3

+1 +1

  • 1
  • 1
  • 2

+1 +1

  • 2
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SLIDE 25

63% 72% 65% 65% 67% 70% 14% 8% 10% 10% 8% 9%

Increased majority supports a balanced mix, including nuclear

“Britain needs a mix of energy sources to ensure a reliable supply

  • f electricity, including

nuclear power and renewable energy sources”

Q To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?

2006 2007

Base: All general public (1,980) November 2010

2008

*MORI/UEA study Oct 2005

Agree Disagree 2005*

* UEA survey October 2005

25

2009 2010

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For more information please contact: Robert Knight +44 (0)20 7347 3082 robert.knight@ipsos-mori.com Our ref: Ipsos MORI/10-044621