Second policy white paper on socio-political, community and market acceptance

Switzerland has committed itself to international climate goals, the achievement of which depends significantly on transforming the energy system toward renewable energies while moving away from fossil fuels. Although the Swiss population has repeatedly reaffirmed its support for these goals, and despite the fact that the necessary technologies such as hydropower, photovoltaics (PV), or wind energy have been available, their construction has been challenging. The White Paper formulates five recommendations to facilitate the implementation of renewable energy technologies. As social acceptance is a collective task, its generation cannot be allocated to a single stakeholder group. Rather, all involved stakeholder groups should consider the five recommendations from their respective perspectives:
1. Participatory processes are important but encouraging local leadership is key: Having local project developers and committed local political leadership makes a difference.
2. Leveraging positive social dynamics through networks and communication: Harness the fact that there is broad socio-political acceptance for the expansion of renewables. Peers and neigbours are generally for the transition.
3. Build trust: Knowing that responsible people are doing responsible things may compensate for the uncertainty of what a project may bring at the time of the decision.
4. Suitable incentives structures neet to be put in place: Effective, transparent incentives can support investment decisions and reduced institutional incentives for obstructional politics are important.
5. Anticipate mobilization asymmetries between opponents and proponents: Quite often, the problem is not a lack of a supporting majority but the presence of an engaged minority opposition.