Listening to local communities and Native Title holders is not an optional extra for Tellus. It’s part of our DNA. So, it’s no surprise our model for consent based siting has drawn interest from governments and businesses all over the world.
Last week, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) “Successes in Siting” roundtable was an opportunity for Tellus CEO Nate Smith to exchange knowledge and insights with a number of US-based thought-leaders in this area.
Nate was the sole international participant.
Nate stressed the importance of listening and partnership for consent based siting.
“What does the community want, what do they care about? I think leaders in this space need to focus on more listening and less talking,” he noted. He continued by explaining that Tellus’ approach to consent based siting is about building trust and forging lasting partnerships with communities.
All panellists agreed that the transition to the green economy is going to take time, so community engagement should start early and be a continuous process.
Tellus’ model for consent based siting is built on time spent with Traditional Owners, working together in partnership towards mutual goals for the future. The success of this approach was illustrated last year, when Tellus secured the agreement of the Titjikala Native Title Group and the NT Central Land Council to continue to develop the Chandler Project, a deep geological repository near Alice Springs.
The full roundtable discussion can be viewed on the U.S Department of Energy’s website and below: