Landscape disruption or just a lack of economic benefits? Exploring factors behind the negative perceptions of wind turbines
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2017 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Hungarian Journal of Landscape Ecology (Tájökológiai Lapok) |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | http://real.mtak.hu/71349/1/08_Frantal_et_al.pdf |
| Field | Sociology, demography |
| Keywords | wind energy; landscape perception; social acceptance; Czech Republic |
| Description | This paper provides new empirical evidence on the hypothesis that the perception of landscape disruption by wind turbines is a substantially subjective and relative matter. It is based on a survey involving nearly five hundred residents living in six differe nt locations with operational wind turbines in the Czech Republic. Geographical and socioec onomic factors and sociodemographic characteristics that affect local community perceptions of landscape disruption are explored using correlations and a regression analysis model. The results suggest that the expressed perception of la ndscape disruption is not determined by the number of existing wind turbines, the proximity of residences to them and their visibility from the home but is significantly affected by the perception of the economic favourability of projects (benefits to local communities), perception of other negative impacts of wind turbines (particularly the noise annoyance) and the socio-cultural background of people (particularly the level of education). |