While New Zealanders may have felt somewhat ‘comfortable’ about the use of nuclear energy as a source of electricity in recent years, the Earthquake in Christchurch and Japan and the threat of nuclear meltdown in the latter may have affected their choice.
That was the view of Massey University Marketing Professor and Head of research team for International Social Survey Philip Gendall.
Quoting the Team’s New Zealanders and the Environment 2010 Survey, he said about 50% of the respondents said nuclear power stations were extremely (or very) dangerous for the environment. This was a sharp contrast to a survey held ten years ago, which had 64% rating.
“But damage caused to Japan’s nuclear power plants by the earthquake and tsunami, combined with the devastation in Christchurch may account for a significant change if the survey were to be conducted now,” he said.
Professor Gendall said the 2010 Survey, conducted between August and November 2010, accounted for 1172 participants in New Zealand.
The opinions related to questions on the environment were the same as those asked by the survey in 1993 and 2000, he said.
“It is interesting that, even before the nuclear crisis in Japan, 49% of respondents thought the environment was seriously endangered by nuclear power. However, that was less than the 64% of New Zealanders who had the same opinion 10 years ago,” he said.
The Survey reflected the pattern of attitudes to nuclear power worldwide.
Public support was lower in countries without nuclear power in the past surveys.
But according to Professor Gendall, support for nuclear energy has increased over the past decade, although the Chernobyl and Three Mile Island disasters have had abrupt and significant effects on public opinion.
About 10% of New Zealanders responding to the Survey said the country should give priority to nuclear power.
“Overall, environmental concerns took a back seat last year to pressing worries about the economy, healthcare, education and crime. Just 9% of the respondents considered environment as the most important issue facing New Zealand. The economy took priority,” he said.
Read our Editorial, “Do we have a case for Nuclear Energy?”
