In transitions we trust? Understanding citizen, business, and public sector opposition to wind energy and hydropower in Chile

Abstract

This article discusses the relevance of citizen, business, and public sector trust in risk management regarding socio-environmental conflicts over renewable energies in Chile. The study was qualitative, on a simple case of embedded design, and analysed employing a content analysis, two wind projects (Renaico and La Cabaña) and two small-scale hydroelectric plants (Picoiquén River and Los Aromos) in the Region of La Araucanía, Chile. The results show the importance of trust in risk management due to socio-environmental conflicts, revealing the affective/subjective dimension through variables such as the Sense of Justice, Integrity, Transparency, Benevolence, Honesty, and Commitment with the interests of others, and variables such as Efficiency, Competence, and Consistency of Behaviour in its technical dimension.