Transcript Climate Change in Paradise:

Climate Access • April 11, 2014
Communicating the NCA:
Communicating Impacts & Adaptation
Susanne C. Moser, Ph.D.
Susanne Moser Research & Consulting
Stanford University
• A crucial moment for public engagement on
climate change
• Impacts are increasingly
observed, felt
• Communicating impacts
• Communicating adaptation
Photo: EPA/Ramin Talaie
Overview
Social Coast Forum 2014
Social Coast Forum 2014
“Sunny Day” Impacts of Sea-Level Rise
Source: Paul Krashefski, Broward County Natural Resources Planning and Management Division
Growing Recognition:
Sense of Place
The experience related to characteristics of a
place that make it special or unique, as well as
to those that foster a sense of authentic
human attachment and belonging
Social Coast Forum 2014
The ways in which who we are and
who we perceive ourselves to be is
inseparably linked to the place in which we live
– ‘cognitive-behavioral importance’ – how place
identity shapes climate change perceptions, behavior
– ‘health and well-being importance’ – how climate
change affects health and well-being
– ‘collective action importance’ – how place identity
can help foster collective action on climate change
Source: Fresque-Baxter and Armitage (2012)
Photo: www.barewalls.com
Place Identity
Climate Change Threatens
Our Sense of Place and Place Identity
“When places become threatened from real or
perceived changes, continuity of place may be
disrupted, potentially impacting place identity.
This may result in […] coping strategies (e.g.,
taking actions against change, denial,
reestablishing place meanings) to alleviate the
threat and/or the resultant tension caused by it.
Changes or disruptions can result in changing
perceptions of place meanings/values, feelings
of loss, or the experience of grief.”
(Fresque-Baxter and Armitage, 2012: 253)
• Many people are "connecting the dots” (extremes and
gradual, “weird” changes)
• Extreme events heighten people's awareness and worry
about climate change
• Direct experiences increase our
psychological distress
• Experience of extreme events can
heighten people’s willingness to act
• Also still "psychological distancing” NOW is the time to engage!!!
• Leadership not enough, not visible
Source: smallbiztrends.com
A Growing Sense of Unease & Doom
-> Helplessness and Numbing
How to talk about impacts?
1. OBSERVATION
– Recent experience
– Locally observed impact
– Visual, real, tangible
2. VALIDATION
– Local/personal: Told by
those who experience or
manage them
– Scientific: Reinforced by
local and/or NCA expert
– Contextualization in
historical trends
3. ATTRIBUTION
– Only if scientifically credible
– Depends on political-cultural
context
4. IMPLICATION
– Outlook if trends worsen:
losses – people, community,
economy, places people love
– Outlook if unmanaged: costs
($ and non-$)
– Sets up “what to do”
question
Graphic: http://blog.discoverymachine.com/
… and mitigate
How to talk about “adaptation”?
Planning ahead
Climate risk management
Asking the climate question
Readiness
Resiliency strategies
Responses
Adaptation
Climate-proofing
Climate-ready
Preparedness
Preparation
Climate-resistant
Climate-smart
Coping
Adjustments
Climate actions
Resilience Concrete actions: prevent wildfires,
nourish beaches, establish heat-health
warning systems, flood-proof homes
Mitigating the impacts
Source: Moser (2014), WIREs Climate Change
How to communicate adaptation?
1. EDUCATION
– What can be done
(multiple concrete options)
– Resonant language
– Invitation to participate in
finding solutions
2. VISUALIZATION
– Help people imagine how
adaptation would look
• Historical practice
• Best practice
• Experience in a similar
community elsewhere
– Portray relevant actors
engaged in solutions
3. MOTIVATION
– Authentic hope through
vision, path, meaningful role
– Benefits of preparatory
action
4. COOPERATION
– Tap into values that affirm
the audience in their sense
of self, sense of safety
(preparedness, stewardship,
responsibility, precaution,
fairness, honesty,
transparency)
– Sense of being in it together
– Sense of feasibility, efficacy
• Be prepared to deal with emotion
• Start with, tap into what people love
• Explore and use place attachment and
place identity as leverage for action
• Remind people of their
connectedness to each other and
to the non-human world
• Engage citizens meaningfully in
joint problem-solving that leads
to tangible local outcomes
Sources: Crompton and Kasser (2009), Moser (2013)
© Sebastian Guerrini (blog.inpolis.com)
Summary:
Place-Based Engagement
• Contact & Publications:
Susi Moser, Ph.D.
E: [email protected]
W: http://www.susannemoser.com
Photo by Heinz Gutscher
Thank you!