Visualising Nuclear Landscapes: Visual Simulation in the Licensing for Finnish Nuclear Facilities

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Abstract:

This paper discusses the use of visual techniques for project simulation in planning procedures. It will be argued that sophisticated technologies enable realistic views on the changes in landscape while implications of their increasingly prominent role in planning are discussed very little. Managerial approaches thus enthusiastically highlight the possibilities for producing suggestions in a format that ``everybody can understand''. However, it is argued in this article, personal perception of landscapes cannot be modelled by simulations, which are therefore of limited use when it comes to assessment of possible changes and informed decision-making. Phenomenological approaches highlight the short-sightedness of environmental management practices. In the licensing procedure of nuclear facilities in Finland, visual simulations are employed rather much, while the frequent use of manipulated images is as such not subject to scrutiny. In this respect, free hands are granted to the project developer, who naturally aims at a smooth assessment process and positive outcomes. Moreover, and despite showing the projected changes in the landscape, Finnish companies deliver a certain kind of images about nature conservation and social responsibility.