This article addresses a gap in knowledge of peoples' strategies and recommendations concerning power production and achieving reductions in GHGs to address climate change. Employing mixed methods, two-day deliberative focus groups in three communities in Saskatchewan, Canada included pre and post-focus group surveys, coding and analysis of discussions, and the creation of consensus recommendations for sustainable power production in the future. These innovative mixed-methods provide insights into how to advance individual and social learning. Results of comparative case study analysis provide strong support for renewables and illustrate place-based differences. All communities supported renewable sources. The community in proximity to coal, oil, and gas production supported coal, and coal with carbon capture and storage (CCS) and was concerned with the social cost of job loss on the welfare system; engaging the public was not a priority. In contrast, the other two communities stressed the importance of engaging the public and considering all costs, risks, benefits across the entire lifespan of power production sources. To achieve future sustainability, policy implications include addressing important concerns of resource-dependent communities, namely job loss, and conducting holistic policy assessment of potential power production sources that account for carbon and cost across the entire supply chain and include land-use change.
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