Is energy policy a public issue? Nuclear power in Poland and implications for energy transitions in Central and East Europe

TLDR: In this paper, the authors assess public communication on nuclear energy in Poland against four theoretical ideal types of the public sphere in modern democracies and conclude that although in the legal and civil society realms there are some elements of the participatory liberal type, the current functioning of public sphere is rather aligned with the representative liberal democracy type and does not further energy transition.

Abstract: In this article we assess public communication on nuclear energy in Poland against four theoretical ideal types of the public sphere in modern democracies. We investigate law, media discourse, and civil society as dimensions of the public sphere, and use the analysis to draw out broader implications for energy transitions. We conclude that although in the legal and civil society realms there are some elements of the participatory liberal type, the current functioning of the public sphere is rather aligned with the representative liberal democracy type and does not further energy transition. The representative liberal type is supported by mainstream media, focused mainly on economic and political elites. This is why initiatives of grassroots movements are not reflected in public discourse, neither in traditional media nor on the Internet. Even if they appear, their impact is limited because of weak exposition. Our research offers reflections on how energy transition may be furthered via the public sphere. The article brings a sociological and socio-legal analysis of the public sphere to energy policy research. By presenting the unique case of potential new nuclear power plant build in Poland, we contribute an integrative view of energy policy as a public governance issue in contemporary Central and East European democracies.