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

Public Attitudes to the Nuclear Industry November 2010 Presented by: Robert Knight

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: 5 th – 14 th November 2010 2

Issues of concern 3

Issues of most concern Q What issues, if any, concern you the most these days? Change ‘09 – ‘10 + 27% The economy/Cost of living -3 16% Unemployment/Job security +4 13% Law and order/Crime/Policing/Violence -3 12% Immigration/Asylum seekers +2 Public spending cuts/public sector 11% n/a redundancies 10% Education +4 10% Terrorism -2 10% -1 Healthcare/Family health 7% -15 War/Afghanistan/Iraq/Iran 6% -3 Financial security Base: All adults aged 16+ (981) November 2010 4

Issue of most concern contd Q What issues, if any, concern you the most these days? Change ‘09 – ‘10 + Greenhouse effect/global warming/ 6% -7 climate change 5% Drugs -2 5% Child protection/ Child abuse 0 5% -2 Third world poverty 4% -5 World peace 3% 0 Multiculturalism/race or religious issues 3% -4 Protection of the environment 3% -5 Pollution 3% -1 Human Rights Nuclear power 1% Secure energy supply 1% 2% -1 Cure for diseases Only answers given by 2% or more are charted here Base: All adults aged 16+ (981) November 2010 5

Environmental issues of most concern Q What issues to do with the environment and conservation, if any, concern you most these days? Change ‘09 – ‘10 + Greenhouse effect/global warming/ 17% -9 climate change 10% -5 Pollution 10% +1 Air pollution 9% -2 Too much traffic 9% +3 Preservation of wildlife/countryside 8% -6 Lack of recycling 0 8% Waste disposal 0 6% Destruction of rainforests/ Deforestation +1 6% Loss of green belt/overbuilding Base: All adults aged 16+ (981) November 2010 6

Environmental issues of most concern contd Q What issues to do with the environment and conservation, if any, concern you most these days? Contd Change ‘09 – ‘10 + 4% Pollution of rivers/streams/water -1 4% Litter in towns and cities/Local environment -1 3% Industrial pollution +1 3% Flooding/Coastal problems +1 3% Exhaust fumes from cars/lorries -4 3% Pollution of seas/waste disposal at sea -2 3% Destruction of the ozone layer/CFCs -1 Nuclear waste 2% 3% Power station leakage 1% Litter in the countryside 0 3% Toxic/chemical waste/Toxic dumping +1 Only mentions of 3% or more are shown here Base: All adults aged 16+ (981) November 2010 7

The nuclear energy industry 8

Favourability tow ards the industry Q How favourable or unfavourable is your opinion or impression of the nuclear energy industry? % Very/ mainly % Very/ mainly favourable unfavourable 33% 27% 2005 33% 25% 2006 35% 26% 2007 35% 19% 2008 33% 20% 2009 40% 17% 2010 Base: All adults aged 16+ (1,980) November 2010 9

Favourable opinion of the nuclear industry Q How favourable or unfavourable are your overall opinions or impressions of the nuclear industry/nuclear energy? Unfavourable Favourable 50% 40% 40% 30% 17% 20% 10% 0% Feb Aug Feb Sep Apri Dec July Dec Dec Dec Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov Nov '98 '99 t l '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 Sept Oct Base: All adults aged 16+ (1,980) November 2010 10

Women are now favourable to the industry, on balance Q How favourable or unfavourable is your opinion or impression of the nuclear energy industry? % Very/ mainly % Very/ mainly Change since favourable unfavourable Change since 2009 2009 40% 17% -3 All +7 56% 14% -3 Men +11 25% 19% -4 Women +4 Base: All men (964), all women (1,016) November 2010 11

Familiarity w ith the nuclear industry is back to 2008 level Q How well do you feel you know the nuclear energy industry? % Know very well/a fair amount 27% 30% 20% 20% 20% 17% 10% 0% 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Base: All adults aged 16+ (1,980) November 2010 12

Men still feel they know the industry better Q How well do you feel you know the nuclear energy industry? % Know very well % Know fair amount % Know just a little % Heard of, but know almost nothing % Never heard of Men Women 1% 3% 5% 11% 5% 24% 24% 40% 43% 44% Base: All men (964), all women (1,016) November 2010 13 Source: Ipsos MORI

Benefits of nuclear energy Q What do you believe are, if any, the benefits of nuclear Change energy as a source of electricity? ‘09-’10 + Costs are competitive 20% +3 No carbon dioxide is produced during generation. 19% 0 Helps to combat climate change Ensures reliable supply of electricity/ Energy 19% +1 independence 18% -1 General impact on the environment/ Cleaner 7% +2 Only a small amount of waste is produced 5% +2 Proven technology that already exists -1 1% Less use of fossil fuels/ Natural resources 0 1% It offers an unlimited supply of power n/a 1% Clean/cleaner energy 0 1% Other 7% -2 None 25% -7 Don’t know/no answer Only mentions of 1% or more are Base: All adults aged 16+ (1,980) November 2010 14 shown here

Disadvantages of nuclear energy Q Looking at this card, what do you believe are, if any, Change the disadvantages of nuclear energy as a source of ‘09-’10 electricity? + 37% +2 (Long term) disposal of nuclear waste 29% +1 Risk of accident 22% -2 Radiation/contamination risk 10% -1 General impact on the environment (unspecified) 7% -1 Potential terrorist target 7% 0 Cost is too high 3% 0 Ugly/Eyesores/Loss of visual amenity 2% -1 Public opinion/Public perception 1% -1 Other 6% 0 None 19% -5 Don’t know Only mentions of 2% or more are shown here Base: All adults aged 16+ (1,980) November 2010 15

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? All respondents % 45% (Long term) disposal of nuclear waste 37 30% 30% Risk of accident 29 29% 21% Men Radiation/contamination risk 22 22% Women 10% General impact on environment (unspecified) 10 10% 8% Potential terrorist target 7 7% 8% Cost is too high 7 6% 2% Ugly/Eyesore/less of visual amenity 3 3% 2% Public opinion/Public perception 2 2% 2% Other 1 1% 6% None 6 6% 10% Don't know 19 27% Base: All adults aged 16+ (1,980) November 2010 16

Attitudes to New build 17

Support for replacement new build has increased again 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 Oppose 60% 50% 47% 40% 30% 20% 19% 10% 0% 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 - - - - - - - - - - v v v v v v l c c c u o o o o o o e e e J D D D N N N N N N * Wording in 2001 was “To what extent would you support or oppose Base: All respondents c2,000 18 the building of new nuclear power stations in Britain?”

Support for replacement new build 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. Don’t know Strongly -3 ‘03 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 Change support Strongly +1 % % % % % % % % ‘09 ‐ ‘10 oppose 8% 0 Support 29 35 41 39 36 44 43 47 +4 13% 7% Tend to Oppose 39 30 28 29 28 19 19 19 0 oppose Net Support -10 -5 13 10 8 25 24 29 +5 0 12% Neutral/DK 32 35 31 32 36 37 38 34 -4 34% 26% Tend to support +4 Neither support -2 nor oppose Base: All respondents (1,980) November 2010 19

All demographics now support replacement new build 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 Neutral/Don’t know Oppose All 47 34 19 Men 61 26 13 Women 34 43 23 16-24 32 47 21 25-34 40 42 18 35-44 46 35 19 45-54 51 32 18 55-64 60 25 15 65+ 54 26 20 AB 61 22 17 C1 47 32 21 C2 43 40 17 DE 36 45 19 Base: All general public (1,980) November 2010 20

Support for replacement new build is up most among men 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 support Men oppose 61% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 13% 10% 0% 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 - - - - - - - - - v v v v v v c c c e e e o o o o o o D D D N N N N N N Base: All men (c 1,000) 21