Turning UK's Coal Nostalgia into Green Pride: A Psycho-law-gical Approach to Energy Transition.

Since the industrial revolution, coal has been a central pillar of Britain's energy sector. By shutting down its last coal-fired power plant in late 2024, the UK has marked the end of its 142-year relationship with coal. The closure of Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station in Nottinghamshire has been hailed as an example of just energy transition for supporting the workforce in acquiring new skills and jobs. However, it has not been equally welcome in the local subconscious, as the residents of this area still reminisce about their coal-intensive past with nostalgia and pride. This resistance to change challenges the social acceptance of energy transition, and may ultimately hinder the government's decarbonization plans. What are the reasons for this behaviour and how can this issue be addressed in climate change policy? Drawing on theories of social and environmental psychology, this study takes an interdisciplinary, psycho-legal (or psycho-law-gical) approach to examine this paradox. As the study observes, the reasons as to why people of coal-intensive communities find it hard to accept a post-carbon reality are not economic, but psychological. The deconstruction of the coal power plant and its replacement with something new (which remains largely unknown) creates negative emotions to locals; it is perceived as something that will degrade their place and social identities, or that can even lead to disruption. In response, deploying cognitive change mechanisms, advancing social inclusion in decision-making processes, and cultivating energy citizenship can lead to a fair and transformative energy transition in which people will be proud participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]