The impact of public acceptance on the future of nuclear energy in the Middle East : the case study of Jordan -

Abstract

Increasing demand for water and energy has led Jordan to plan for considering a new energy program, namely; the acquisition of a nuclear power program. This thesis studied potential challenges that might hinder such initiation via surveying the opinion of Jordanians with regards to the future of energy in their country. The major research question that this study tried to answer and understand is whether the government plans to build a nuclear power plant and the perceptions of Jordan’s energy for the Jordanian public are aligned. The selection of Jordan is due to the fact that the debate on whether nuclear is a suitable energy source for Jordan remains lively. Consequently, the proposed study would have a significant potential for impact to inform the energy debate in the kingdom. Furthermore, since no nuclear initiation contract has been signed yet, it is the ideal time and environment to study the various views and their potential influence on the political and governmental system. A survey, with both Arabic and English translations, was initiated to target through a non-random sampling one hundred Jordanians from the general public. The quantitative content was analyzed using the online software called “Qualtrics” to come up with descriptives, frequencies and cross-tabulations. At the same time, it aided in comparing results to those of previous polls conducted in Jordan and other nuclear-seeking countries of the Middle East and the rest of the world. Additionally, a non-structured interview was conducted online with universities and nuclear related groups on social media. Another semi-structured set of interview questions was made available to dialogue with some stakeholders in the country. Fourthly, an advanced search method was developed to measure the factors affecting the public’s sentiments towards nuclear power in Jordan. Finally, a comprehensive analysis of the quantitative and qualitative results came-up with a better idea of the dynamics around energy decisions in Jo