Food for Thought: Risk Perception and Public Participation in Energy Decision-Making
Panel discussion with authors of the ISSP open access book, Democratizing Risk Governance: Bridging Science, Expertise, Deliberation and Public Values
May 23, 2024 — 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
On May 23, 2024, the Institute for Science, Society and Policy hosted a Food for Thought panel discussion featuring Dr. Duane Bratt,Professor, Department of Economics, Justice, and Policy Studies, Mount Royal University, Dr. Patricia Larkin, Project Coordinator, Positive Energy, uOttawa; moderated by Julien Tohme, doctoral candidate in public administration and public policy at the University of Ottawa’s School of Political Studies. Participants discussed risk perception and public participation in energy decision-making.
About the Event
This panel featured findings from the ISSP’s open-access edited volume, Democratizing Risk Governance: Bridging Science, Expertise, Deliberation and Public Values, which grapples with democratizing risk governance in a variety of policy areas. The book is the culmination of a multiyear study bringing together close to thirty established and emerging risk scholars and practitioners who co-produced research and recommendations. This panel focused on chapters examining public participation in a variety of areas of energy (carbon capture, utilization and storage, and nuclear waste management).
Learn more about @Risk: Trust & Expertise in Risk Decision-Making.
Dr. Duane Bratt
Speaker
Professor, Department of Economics, Justice, and Policy Studies
Mount Royal University (Calgary, Alberta)
Duane Bratt is a political science Professor in the Department of Economics, Justice, and Policy Studies at Mount Royal University (Calgary, Alberta). He was educated at the Universities of Windsor (BA 1991, MA 1992) and Alberta (Ph.D 1996). He teaches in the area of international relations and Canadian public policy. His primary research interest is in the area of Canadian nuclear policy. Recent publications include: co-editor, Orange Chinook: Politics in the New Alberta (University of Calgary Press, 2019), co-editor, Readings in Canadian Foreign Policy: Classic Debates and New Ideas 3rd edition (Oxford University Press, 2015) and author of Canada, the Provinces, and the Global Nuclear Revival (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2012). Current projects include the risk assessment of Canada’s nuclear waste site selection process. Duane is also a regular commentator on political events.
Dr. Patricia Larkin
Speaker
Project Coordinator, Positive Energy, University of Ottawa
With a PhD in Population Health from uOttawa, Patricia has a keen interest in the integration of health and environmental risk management in non-health sector policy and regulatory decision-making. From 2019-2021 as Senior Research Associate, Patricia completed Positive Energy studies on political and socio-economic issues that could affect polarization and public confidence in decision-making for carbon capture utilization and storage, and on what works in identifying and scaling up successful innovations in Canadian energy regulatory decision-making. Other experience in project management includes ISSP’s interdisciplinary and international team research project, @Risk: Strengthening Canada’s Ability to Manage Risk, as well as an elicitation of global experts regarding health and environmental risks and attendant uncertainties related to carbon capture and storage. Patricia is Past Chair of the Applied Risk Management Specialty Group of the Society for Risk Analysis and Associate Expert, Risk Sciences International.
Julien Tohme
Moderator
Doctoral candidate
School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa
Julien is a doctoral candidate in public administration and public policy at the University of Ottawa’s School of Political Studies. His doctoral research focuses on large-scale energy transitions in France. He holds an MSc in Energy Policy and an MA in Geopolitics and Grand Strategy from the University of Sussex, and a BA in Political Studies from the American University of Beirut.