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Communicating the NCA:Communicating Impacts & Adaptation
Climate Access • April 11, 2014
Susanne C. Moser, Ph.D.Susanne Moser Research & ConsultingStanford University
Overview
• A crucial moment for public engagement on climate change
• Impacts are increasingly observed, felt
• Communicating impacts• Communicating adaptation Ph
oto:
EPA
/Ram
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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
Social Coast Forum 2014
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
Place Identity
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)
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o: w
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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)
A Growing Sense of Unease & Doom -> Helplessness and Numbing
• 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”• Leadership not enough, not visible
NOW is the time to engage!!!
Sour
ce: s
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lbiz
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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
Gra
phic
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… and mitigate
How to talk about “adaptation”?
Clim
ate
actio
ns
Responses
Concrete actions: prevent wildfires, nourish beaches, establish heat-health warning systems, flood-proof homes
Climate-smart
Climate-resistant
Resilience
Climate-ready
Clim
ate-
proo
fing
Preparation
Prep
ared
ness
Readiness
Adjustments
Planning aheadCoping
Climate risk management
Mitigating the impacts
Resiliency strategies
Asking the climate question
Adaptation
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
Summary: Place-Based Engagement
• 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)
© S
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Thank you!
• Contact & Publications:Susi Moser, Ph.D.E: [email protected] W: http://www.susannemoser.com
Phot
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