Australia requires rapid deployment of renewable energy projects, including 5,000km of new transmission infrastructure this decade, to meet our 2030 target of 82% renewable energy and to reach net-zero by 2050.
However, the rise of mis- and dis-information about renewable energy and transmission projects is undermining public confidence, risking the pace and scale of the renewable energy build-out required to meet Australia’s growing energy needs.
Communities hosting projects often have legitimate questions but lack trusted, locally relevant and independent information. Without credible answers, public trust erodes, laying fertile ground for the spread of mis- and dis-information and making it harder to secure and maintain social licence for the shift to renewables.
We have made a joint submission to Select Committee on Information Integrity on Climate Change and Energy re: Inquiry into the prevalence and impacts of misinformation and disinformation which relates to climate change and energy, with Community Power Agency and Yes 2 Renewables.
In it, we outline four complementary solutions to address the spread of mis- and dis-information on climate change and energy in Australia, calling on the federal government to implement:
- Local Energy Hubs: Establish a network of 50 independent outreach centres in regional areas, to act as trusted, locally based information hubs, streamlining consultation and empowering communities to participate in and benefit from renewable energy projects. They would also feed community concerns back to government and research bodies to shape future renewable energy development. Hubs would be particularly valuable in regions with high levels of concurrent renewable energy development.
- Greater transparency through targeted communications and public awareness: Increase trust and counter misinformation by making project risks, opportunities, and cumulative impacts transparent through accessible data, tailored guides, and fact-based communications.
- Support and resources for local communities experiencing renewables development: Invest in local governments and civil society groups to strengthen community capacity for engagement, build resilient local information networks, and foster trust in renewable energy developments.
- Higher standards for renewables to build community support: Prioritise high-quality, environmentally and socially responsible projects with visible local benefits, meaningful community participation, and strong federal oversight and incentives, which will help to build community trust in the energy shift and act as an antidote to mis- and dis-information.