Is Nuclear Power Acceptance Related To Environmental Literacy In Turkey?

Year 2019, Volume: 9 Issue: 2, 157 - 173, 08.06.2019

Melike Yavuz-topaloğlu , Eda Demirhan , Elif Atabek-yiğit

Abstract

Nuclear energy
seems to be a promising alternative to meet Turkey’s growing energy needs, and
governments have been working on it foryears. However, public acceptance of
nuclear power is an important factor for governments to consider. This study
aims to explore public acceptance of nuclear power in Turkey and its
relationship with environmental literacy. There were 524 participants of this
study, and data was gathered through a descriptive questionnaire, an
environmental literacy scale for adults, and a questionnaire about acceptance
of nuclear power. Findings were evaluated both qualitatively and
quantitatively. It was found that the majority of the participants oppose the
development of nuclear power as a major fuel source, particularly with
reference to the harmful effects of nuclear power on the environment and
general concerns over safety.Moreover, there is a slight negative correlation
between acceptance of nuclear power and environmental literacy (i.e.
participants with higher environmental literacy scores tended to oppose nuclear
power). Also, a slight positive correlation was found between acceptance of
nuclear power and gender(i.e. male support nuclear power more than female,
those with children are more likely to oppose nuclear power). 

Keywords

Nuclear power, public acceptance, environmental literacy, gender, having children

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