People Vs Pylons: are anti-net zero groups weaponising genuine concerns? Part 2

At ACT Climate Labs, we’ve been watching how bad faith actors are weaponising local groups and how this risks distracting from public support for more, not less, climate action.  

In the second part of this series – we share our learnings from tracking a significant rise in misleading content surrounding pylon opposition across the UK.

Who’s involved? How are Persuadables involved? What’s influencing them?  

How to get ahead. What lessons can we use to prepare and inoculate people from misleading narratives and misinformation?  

Read Part 1 which covers the role of politicians and the media in manipulating genuine opposition to clean energy projects here:

People Vs Pylons: are anti-net zero groups weaponising genuine concerns? Part 1

At ACT Climate Labs, we’ve been watching how bad faith actors are weaponising local groups and how this risks distracting from public support for more, not less, climate action.

ACT Climate LabsSean Buchan

In Part 1, we detailed how local opposition groups across the country are susceptible to sharing misleading information put forward by the media, for instance on the impact of pylons on house pricing.  

It is possible that these local groups’ content might influence Persuadables, especially if they are concerned about the impact on their local neighbourhood. And it’s possible Persuadables might voice their concerns in these groups, given how intertwined pylons and the National Grid’s project are at this level.      

In August, ACT deemed the spillover and threat to Persuadables of the pylon debate to be middling, but particularly relevant to the Rural Dweller Persuadable group.  

Who are the Rural Dwellers? This group often reside in the countryside, have traditional values, a strong connection to landscape and a feeling of ownership.  

We identified this link, as many of the local groups voice their worries about the impact and cost of the National Grid project on nature-based tourism. Additionally, preserving the countryside and agricultural land are top of mind for Rural Dwellers, so any threat to this could sway their opinions. The media frequently rechurn this message and so could deepen concerns. 

Persuadables also experience cultural moments that could form their opinion on the pylon debate. We learned from the Local Storytelling Exchange that the launch of Suffolk Energy Action Solutions (SEAS)’s film ‘Coast’ featuring Ralph Fiennes, was a tipping point in local community concern. The film prompted discussions about why opposing the project was critical to saving the local landscape. The storyteller, who lives in the area, explained how it provoked a visceral reaction amongst many in neighbouring towns and communities. The film drew on feelings of belonging and protectionism of the coast, boosted by many seeing Fiennes as a Trusted Messenger.  

Pylon opposition has infiltrated everyday Persuadable touchpoints too, highlighting how embedded this issue is locally. You can see this through the lens of beer and breweries. One member of Essex Suffolk Norfolk Pylons Group shares the launch of the Pylon IPA accompanied by the description, ‘Like all of our projects, Pylon IPA has little to no substance to it, leaves a bitter aftertaste and costs a small fortune!’. Another celebrates the branded ‘P**s off pylons’ bottles available in a local craft bar in Norfolk.  We don't really know if these exist in reality or if they have a wide or limited distribution, but they're being shared online.

We must prevent the spread of misleading information related to the exaggeration of costs, disruption, and effectiveness of energy infrastructure projects. This includes the roll out of pylons in places like the Heritage Coast, Aberdeenshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire.  

To get ahead, we can inoculate Persuadables against misinformation or weaponised media content by using data and stories.  

Inoculate with credible data  

Counter misleading narratives or overly negative sentiment on pylons with credible, trustworthy data showing how they help us reach renewable energy targets, and support wider climate action.  

For instance, use insights from non-biased sources such as YouGov. For instance, in 2015 YouGov research found that the re-design of pylons to a more aesthetically pleasing T-Pylon are viewed positively by 59% of respondents. This is a marked increase from the perception of old pylons.  

Inoculate with stories  

Delivering and expanding clean energy infrastructure projects generates lots of good news stories. The economy benefits and so do local people through upskilling and training. When you communicate climate action and support for these projects, lead with advantages and positive case studies such as:  

• how renewables will provide more jobs and the chance to upskill the local workforce  ​ 
• the opportunity for the next generation. In an interview with the BBC, Rachel Bunn, from the East of England Energy Group says, "These are very exciting times. I have lived in this area for 46 years and have never known so much opportunity for young people, but also for adults wanting to retrain." ​ 

Alongside rational and logical approaches to the economic benefits and job opportunities energy infrastructure projects can bring to a given area - there is the opportunity to lead with historic success. For instance, pylons have existed in the UK since 1928 and have served multiple generations of families successfully, so they can be good for us now too.  

Anti net-zero groups, certain media outlets and politicians amplify genuine local concerns to help them denounce net-zero and renewable energy targets. The media and politicians have weaponised similar debates this way. And we’ve seen this tactic in pitting solar farms and agricultural farms against one another, under the excuse of a food security threat.  

How can we combat this? Inoculate Persuadables with positive stories and trustworthy data. This way, you paint a clearer picture and reduce the chance of them believing misleading narratives on energy infrastructure projects.  

Recommended reading:

Vocal minorities are being weaponised against climate action   

Misinformation alert: Fossil fuels for ‘energy security’  

 Creating hope for a green industrial future in the West Midlands: An advertising case study