ID: 1847
Presenting Author: Jay Wagner
Session: 676 - Public Trust and Social Impact Assessment: Lessons learned from major projects
Status: pending
Effective consultation is critical to project success - especially amid rising polarisation and social-media-driven misinformation. These dynamics profoundly affect planning and impact assessments.
The urgency to deliver clean energy and infrastructure projects has never been greater, yet so too are the challenges. Escalating climate risks demand rapid action, but political backlash against Net Zero goals, eroding public trust, and the viral spread of misinformation are creating new barriers for developers and impact assessment professionals.
While transparent, evidence-based engagement has always been central to responsible development - especially in the extractives and infrastructure sectors - today’s communication landscape is radically different. The combination of 24/7 news, online disinformation campaigns, and AI-generated content demands new approaches to managing expectations and fostering public understanding and trust.
Ignoring this reality can be costly - legally, financially, and reputationally. Building and maintaining trust depends, now more than ever, on proactive, transparent communication that translates complex, science-based information for diverse audiences. Although established guidance and tools exist, these must be adapted to fast-evolving socio-political contexts, digital dynamics, and the renewables sector.
Drawing on experience in clean energy, minerals, oil and gas, and transport projects, the authors present case studies illustrating effective and flawed practices. These examples highlight lessons for developers navigating misinformation in the Energy Transition and emphasise the need for innovation in communication and strong leadership to ensure informed dialogue, resilient relationships, and sustainable outcomes.
Jay Wagner is a director of Plexus. He has extensive experience in the energy and extractives sectors advising on E&S issues and has worked throughout Africa and Latin America.
Coauthor 1: Murray Jones