Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39379338›Full record

ArticleRisk analysis : an official publication of the Society for Risk Analysis2025

How beliefs about tampering with nature influence support for enhanced geothermal systems: A cross-national study.

Julia Cousse, Katherine McComas, Catherine Lambert, Dominic Balog-Way, Evelina Trutnevyte

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Risk analysis : an official publication of the Society for Risk Analysis, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. How beliefs about tampering with nature influence support for enhanced geothermal systems: A cross-national study.Risk analysis : an official publication of the Society for Risk Analysis · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Julia CousseRenewable Energy Systems, Institute for Environmental Sciences (ISE), Section of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Katherine McComasDepartment of Communication, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
Catherine LambertDepartment of Communication Studies, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-7349-9701
Dominic Balog-WayDepartment of Communication, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-0581-640X
Evelina TrutnevyteRenewable Energy Systems, Institute for Environmental Sciences (ISE), Section of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.

Funding

Cornell Atkinson Center for SustainabilityDETECGEOTHERMICAInstitute for Environmental Sciences-University of Geneva
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Many believe that enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) can greatly increase the extraction of geothermal energy worldwide, helping to decarbonize heat and electricity production. Effective communication is key to realizing the potential of EGS, yet we currently know little about how the public perceives this emerging technology. This exploratory study contributes to the literature with a cross-national survey in the United States (n = 1003) and Switzerland (n = 1028), two countries with active EGS projects. Specifically, we explore how EGS support relates to beliefs about the deep underground and perceptions of EGS as tampering with nature. The results show that respondents tend to perceive the deep underground as part of nature, dangerous, and unpredictable. The majority are positive about using the deep underground as a resource, although there were variations regarding specific underground activities. In both countries, EGS support is greater for respondents who perceive the underground as something for human use, perceive more benefits than risks from EGS, and support their country's transition to renewable energy. In Switzerland, EGS support is positively related to trust in industry developers and negatively related to perceptions that EGS is tampering with nature. The results offer novel theoretical insights into perceptions of the deep underground in relation to energy development. From a practical standpoint, the results suggest that those seeking to develop EGS may want to consider how to familiarize individuals with current subsurface energy activities, including efforts to protect the underground from unwanted consequences of "tampering," alongside engaging in discussions about the risks and benefits of EGS.

Indexed as

Geothermal EnergyPublic OpinionHumansSurveys and QuestionnairesSwitzerlandUnited StatesGeothermal energyrisk communicationrisk perceptiontampering with naturetechnology acceptance

Identifiers

PMID39379338
PMCPMC12087729

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.