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E U R O P E A N E N V I R O N M E N T E X P E R T S
C O N F R O N T I N G A P O S T C L I M A T E -
H A Z A R D S C E N A R I O
Towards the construction of an innovative
narrative for climate change
Neide P. Areia Alexandre O. Tavares
Introduction
2
Climate Change (CC): an environmental problem radically systemic
Necessary directions to respond to CC have steadily been identified, but
resistances and social inertia hinders the route
Social representation of CC is influenced by the way climate change is
communicated
Social inertia relates to the social representation of CC
Effective communication tools must be developed in order to
actively engage individuals to CC
Methodology
3
P R A C T I C E - B A S E D
I N T E R V E N T I O N
1
E X P E R I E N T I A L
D E B R I E F I N G M E E T I N G
Participant
Observation
2
Focus
Group
Main themes & subthemes
Thematic
Analysis
Pedrogão Grande
The post climate-hazard scenario
4
P E D R O G R A O G R A N D E
Forest fire
17th –24th of June 2017
9672ha burned area
65 death (8 children)
More than 200 seriously injured
2017 burnt area in the center of Portugal
Methodology
Data collection
5
Experiential debriefing focus group
Practice-based intervention in a post
climate hazard scenario (Pedrogão
Grande)
1
2
Sample
5
2
3
5
3
7
20 individuals actively involved
in environment/ climate change
action and research.
45% affiliated to Universities/Research Centers
65% affiliated to Technical institutions
Methodology
Thematic Analysis & NVivo®
6
NVivo qualitative data analysis software; QSR International Pty Ltd. Version 12, 2018.
Methodology
7
Acknowledgment (n = 32)
Affect heuristic (n = 26)
Discourse deconstruction (n = 12)
Action –Challenges (n = 44)
New meta-narrative on
climate change
“(…) it’s actually what we could see: the grief of being the one
who was left behind (…). She lost her husband, her son, the
whole family, indeed. And she could only feel guilty to have
survived. She was grieving. That’s what I felt.” (P2)
“We always talk about climate regarding the
environment risk (…). But I’d say that we have never
talked about the ultimate risk of losing your family,
your community. Since yesterday I see that the
economic impact of losing crop, it’s incomparable the
value of losing our family.” (P2)
“(…) we should not forget our responsibility towards the
society. We are doing this for them. (….) I’m always thinking
about erosion, sensors, (…) and I realised yesterday that
science is also humans, society (…) we need to understand
how we can involve communities in our projects (…)” (P7)
“Communication is important, but a difficult matter. We
must deal every day with our community (…) we must
share our knowledge and learn more about the reality
from whom takes care of the land [referring to the farmers].
So we must have this on mind: we must break the
academic walls and work with the community.” (P16)
“Climate change is definitely a global and
multidimensional problem and it needs to be
considered interdisciplinary. Also, social
perspectives, psychological perspectives must
account for the climate change
comprehension.” (P19)
Results
1
2
34
5
8
1
25
34
A T T IT U D E C H AN G E
Acknowledgment
Affect heuristic
Discourse deconstruction
Action –Challenges
New meta-narrative on
climate change
Recognition of the risk management failures
and related future challenges; impacts;
community resilience
Emotional impact; internalization
(projection) of the experience
Moving from an instrumental and
epistemological discourse to a more reflective
and participative discourse
Dialectical relation between the mobilization
to act/promote action and the
acknowledgement of the challenges and
difficulties to do so
Acknowledgment that it is crucial to
move forward from a global to a local
perspective and the need to shift from
the traditional approach to one more
innovative approach for climate change
Results
After exposure to a post climate-
hazard scenario
Effective in raising awareness in
individuals regarding climate change
related subjects and, thus, affective and
behavioral responses.
Promotes knowledge coproduction
processes and intention change in
individuals.
May serve as an alternative way to
effectively communicate climate change.
Promotes an attitude change.
May serve as a tool to engage individuals
to climate change.
Conclusions
9
Practice-based actions as an
effective communication tool
Highlights from the debriefing
meeting
Shift from an instrumental to
participative discourses.
Recognition of the need to an
interdisciplinary approach for climate
change.
Move forward from a global to a local
point of view.
Acknowledgement of the communities’
role in coping with climate change.
Recognition of the social aspects of
climate change.
Thanks!
RiskAquaSoil - Atlantic Plan for Risk Management in Soil and Water, co-financed by the
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the INTERREG Atlantic Area
Cooperation Program, under reference EAPA-272/2016