Socio-Legal Studies
4 years and 6 months
Law School, University of Exeter
Start date: October 2024
Research topic: Striking a Balance: Navigating Streamlined Environmental Impact Assessment and Public Participation in Offshore Renewable Energy Development
My research is about finding a balance between accelerating the consenting process for offshore renewable energy projects, driven by climate concerns, and preserving public participation rights in environmental impact assessment procedures. Given the crucial role of public participation in ensuring the democratic legitimacy of decisions and energy justice, I intend to explore methods for harmonizing streamlined procedures with stakeholder engagement. Drawing on my research background in examining regulatory structures to address and mitigate environmental concerns of wind energy development across different jurisdictions, I was guided to this topic to seek effective solutions facilitating both rapid development and meaningful public involvement.
Research supervisors: Doctor Cathrine Caine , Professor Margherita Pieraccini
Email: sm1559@exeter.ac.uk