Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
10.5.1 Political Factor 1:Â Political Ideologies
Research suggests that greater agreement over energy strategy among com-
peting political parties can engender either boom or bust periods for wind
power development. For example, in Japan, a remarkably homogeneous
take on what constitutes energy security, shared by political parties and the
public, has been largely responsible for the phlegmatic performance of wind
power development in the nation. Conversely, in Denmark and Germany,
staunch support for wind power across the political spectrum has pro-
vided wind power developers with a high degree of conidence that support
for wind power development progress will continue relatively unabated,
thereby, justifying investment in manufacturing activities.
In the more common situation where political ideologies over energy
strategy conlict, the impact on wind power development depends on how
the political interface between parties is handled. In the event that the rul-
ing party is not a staunch advocate of wind power, a pro-wind opposition
party can put pressure on the ruling party to provide concessions, thus
ensuring that wind power irms can stay aloat until a change of governing
factions. In the event that the ruling party is in favor of wind power, an
anti-wind opposition party can place pressure on the government to ensure
that wind power development is carried out in a more efective manner in
terms of economic eiciency, siting strategy, and public acceptance.
his highlights the importance of networking and bridge building across
political platforms. Maintaining open channels of communication and
actively nurturing common ground ensures that wind power development
will always have at least a modicum of support on the public policy agenda.
For policymakers from ruling parties that are pro-wind, the critical lesson
to take home from this research is that while in power, reaching out to
wind power opponents can be an efective strategy to building the political
goodwill necessary to ensure that a change in governing coalitions will not
catalyze the wild luctuations in government support for wind power that
can unsettled developers.
10.5.2 Political Factor 2:Â Lobbyist Environment
Comparatively speaking, some nations are characterized by elevated levels
of political participation by well-coordinated special interest groups. At one
extreme lies the United States, where special interest groups exert consider-
able inluence on the development of public policy. At the other extreme lies
China, where the special interest groups that do exist are relatively inefec-
tive in terms of legally inluencing public policy.
