Participación, comunicación y negociación en conflictos ambientales: energía eólica marina en el Mar de Trafalgar

Abstract

Wind energy has experienced a dramatic increase in Spain in the last years. As a result, Spain has become one of the leading countries in wind energy production. However, wind plants location has an ambivalent social perception: while, in general, the public consistentely favours the promotion of renovable energies, the opposition to specific projects is very significant, in this paper, we analyse the social debate surrounding a project of offshore wind energy in Cádiz (Southern Spain), on the basis of semistructured interviews with relevant social actors. Factors like previous experience, trust, scientific expertise, local knowledges, and traditional values have played a role in local opposition. From the analysis of the public conflict and the political answers, we reflect upon the problems and tensions of the interaction among politicians, experts, ecologists and citizens involved in environmental conflicts.